Six-time Tour de France stage winner Thor Hushovd (Currently with Team Credit Agricole) will be riding for the new Cervelo TestTeam in the upcoming season. The thirty-year-old Norwegian from Grimstad is the second top pro rider to sign on, after 2008 Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre of Spain.

In his nine years in professional cycling Hushovd has achieved much success. In addition to the six individual stage victories and one team time trial stage victory in the Tour de France, he also won the green jersey in the 2005 Tour by winning the points classification. In 2006 he won the Belgian semi-Classic Gent-Wevelgem, is a three-time Norwegian champion, and known to many a fan as the Norwegian God of Thunder.

"For me, it was easy to decide to join the Cervelo TestTeam," Thor Hushovd told Roadcycling.com earlier today and continued "I like the idea of this team, where not only victories count but also the opportunity to work together with the cycling industry. I think this is a modern way to run a team and [that is is] the future of cycling as a sport. After nine years with Credite Agricole, I am looking forward to the new challenges together with the Cervelo TestTeam."

Hushovd added that he "... would like to use the opportunity to say thank you to all the members of the Credit Agricole team, especially Roger Legeay for the confidence and his tireless work for me. I appreciate it a lot. My focus in the next season will be on the Spring Classics and I would like to win the Green jersey for the Cervelo TestTeam in the 2009 Tour de France."

"We are very pleased that Thor has decided to join Cervelo TestTeam. With him we have another leadership figure on our team," said Thomas Campana, current General Manager of Cervelo TestTeam. "With his outstanding skills, Thor will be a key rider for us, not only in competition but also in product development for (team sponsors) Cervelo, Zipp, Speedplay, Vittoria, 3T and the other industry partners that will join us in the next few weeks. On top of that, he is a very likeable person and our customers and clients will be excited to spend time with him."