Cycling on Conti tyres, the Norwegian sprint star is hoping to win the green jersey again in the Tour de France 2006

Hanover, in July 2006. "He's alive, he's alive" - like a man possessed, the team doctor of the French ProTour "Crédit Agricole" racing team hared along right behind the finishing line of the first stage of the Tour de France 2006 in Strasbourg towards his sports manager. What he had just witnessed seconds before had badly shocked him. Thor Hushovd, the Norwegian sprint star in the French team, had been lying on the ground covered in blood. The day before, as the winner of the prologue the French team's 'Viking' had just won the 'maillot jaune' (yellow jersey) for the second time in his career - the most coveted jersey to be awarded by the 'Tour of suffering' to the respective leader in the General Classification.

Here you can download the press release as a doc-file (66 KB).

A careless spectator waving an outsize cardboard hand - a freebie from a race sponsor - had caught Hushovd's arm as he raced past (at an estimated 70 km/h - 43 mph). At this insane speed, the papier-mâché hand was as sharp as a razor blade and sliced the Norwegian's arm right open. The same evening doctors at the hospital in Strasbourg stitched up the 5 centimetre long flesh wound and treated the substantial haematoma; the next day Hushovd was once again ready for off at the starting line in Obernai, because these men that hurtle the final metres to the finishing line like the Japanese kamikaze pilots used to do are 'tough guys'. "It hurts, but that'll go away" was Hushovd's only comment the day after the glory scene.

Thor Hushovd, a muscle-bound athlete, is his employer's great hope for the flat stages next week along the Atlantic coast. Last year he achieved the greatest success of his career so far by winning the green jersey for the best sprinter in the Tour de France. Like all the other green-clad riders in his team, the sprint star from the far north relies on Continental Competition racing tyres, size 27x1.22mm, and he is living proof of the comment made by Continental's product manager for cycle tyres, Wolf vorm Walde: "The rider's level of fitness on the day determines many of the positions, but the choice of tyre also determines whether that fitness translates into a winning formula."

This year Hushovd is Crédit Agricole's absolute star. After France's cycling hero Christophe Moreau switched to the other French team "AG2R", this year's "C.A." has become the Thor Hushovd one-man-show. Together with world champion Tom Boonen (Belgium, Quick Step), Australian Robbie McEwen (Davitamon Lotto), Germany's 'sprint oldie' Erik Zabel (Milram) and Spain's Oscar Freire (Rabobank), the beefy Scandinavian is once again one of the hottest contenders for individual daily successes on the flat stages in this year's event and of course for a repeat of last year's triumph - the overall victory in the battle for the green jersey. What makes his success all the more impressive is that, unlike his competitors, Hushovd has no excellent lead-out train in the team, he normally has to look for the rear wheel of a competitor when making decisions.

In the spring there were already signs that the 'Viking' would once again be in brilliant shape. He won the semi-classic Gent-Wevelgem, as well as one stage each of the Tirreno-Adriatico and the Tour of Catalonia. Indications of his exceptional abilities on flat stretches were visible early on. He was already 'U23' world champion in time-trials in 1998. Two years later he turned professional and has since always cycled for the Crédit Agricole team. Now aged 28 and cycling on Continental tyres, Thor once again looks as though he may end up as the best rider on points in the Tour de France 2006.

Continental's bicycle tyre business unit is based in Korbach, Hesse, and has an extensive range of touring, trekking, mountain bike and racing tyres. In addition to tyres offering high mileage performance, low rolling resistance and comfort, Continental also manufactures studded winter tyres for bicycles. Continental racing tyres are used by leading teams in many cycling events such as the Tour de France and the Olympic Games. Continental is the only manufacturer of bicycle tyres to produce in Germany.

The Continental Corporation is a leading supplier of tyres, brake systems, chassis components, vehicle electronics and technical elastomers. In 2005 the corporation realised sales of EUR13.8 billion. At present it has a worldwide workforce of approximately 80,600

The tyre business unit is an Official Partner of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany^TM and an Official Sponsor of UEFA EURO 2008^TM. For further information visit the websites www.ContiSoccerWorld.de, www.ContiFanWorld.com and www.conti-online.com.