 Boasson Hagen won stage six of the 2010 Tour of Oman |
Young Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen has withdrawn from Team Sky's squad for Sunday's Paris-Roubaix race with an Achilles injury. The 22-year-old will now work with team medics, aiming to be fully fit for the Tour de France in July. "I still have pain when I'm riding harder training rides, so its not realistic to go to one of the toughest races of the season," he said. New Zealand's Greg Henderson will replace Boasson Hagen in Sunday's race. Brits Ian Stannard, Chris Sutton and Geraint Thomas are also part of the eight-man line-up. Boasson Hagen, considered one of the brightest prospects in world cycling, has been as high as third in the UCI world rankings this season, and came second in the Tour of Oman in February. Team Sky's principal Dave Brailsford is sure the decision to rest the 22-year-old is the right one. "We've assessed the situation from all possible angles and the conclusion is clear: he is not completely ready to race Paris-Roubaix. "The most important thing, both long and short term, is Edvald's health and we would under no circumstances let him ride with an injury of this type.  | 606: DEBATE |
"He'll now have a significant amount of time to receive treatment (and) get properly back on track for his next big goal, the Tour de France."
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