It only seemed fitting that a stage that began in the Austrian town of Innsbruck, which twice hosted Winter Olympic Games, would have as its victor a Norwegian. The country that has produced Winter Olympic greats such as Johann Olav Koss and Bjørn Dæhlie, now boasts a pair of accomplished cyclists, Thor Hushovd (Cervelo TestTeam) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Columbia-Highroad).Although Hushovd is the better known and more decorated of the two, Boasson Hagen can now boast of a Giro d'Italia stage victory as he took home the 244km Stage 7 from Innsbruck to Chiavenna. Barloworld's Robbie Hunter took second and Pavel Brutt (Team Katusha) rounded out the podium.
The 22-year old from Lillehammer, a former two-time Norwegian Time Trial Champion, seems to have arrived early for Bob Stapleton's bunch. After having won this year's Gent-Wevelgem, he most certainly will be looked to in the Classics in the near future.
Results
1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Columbia - Highroad
2. Robert Hunter (RSA) Barloworld
3. Pavel Brutt (Rus) Team Katusha
The top ten in the General Classification remained unchanged.
General Classification After Stage 7
1. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) LPR Brakes - Farnese Vini
2. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Team Columbia - Highroad
3. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia - Highroad
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana
5. Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank
6. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas
7. Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervelo Test Team
8. Christopher Horner (USA) Astana
9. Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas
10. David Arroyo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
Next: Stage 8 - Morbegno - Bergamo, 209km
What looked like a classic breakaway stage turned out to be just that.
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