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'Exciting times' for Brailsford

Image: Brailsford: Hugely significant win for his team

Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford called Edvald Boasson Hagen's Tour de France win a "huge moment" for the team.

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Momentum with Team Sky after stunning start

Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford and Tour de France team leader Bradley Wiggins both saluted Edvald Boasson Hagen after his victory on the sixth stage. Welshman Geraint Thomas surged up the final climb with Boasson Hagen in tow and the 24-year-old from Lillehammer burst across the line for victory on the rain-soaked 226.5-kilometre sixth stage from Dinan to Lisieux. Brailsford said: "The bus nearly turned over we were jumping up and down so much. "It's a huge moment for the team - we're not even a year and a half old and we've won a stage of the Tour de France. "We're ambitious people - we always have been - and we sometimes get criticised for that. "We had a tough Tour last year - everyone knows that. But if you don't aim high in life you're not going to get anything."

Perfect position

After a first Tour stage success, Team Sky can now turn their attentions to leader Bradley Wiggins, who remained sixth overall, 10 seconds behind leader Thor Hushovd and two seconds ahead of Boasson Hagen and Thomas. Brailsford added: "To come here, get a stage win early on, takes the pressure off Bradley. "It is all about momentum, energy and confidence. I think we're building momentum, we've got good energy, confidence was high heading into this race but now it's even more so. It's exciting times." Wiggins was pleased Boasson Hagen was rewarded for his selfless work for the team. He added: "It's great he got a win because he's the first to sacrifice his chances for me. "Now, when he's working in the days to come he'll know he's already got something." Since the idea of Team Sky was first established, Brailsford has spoken of the mutual benefits for British Cycling, using Thomas as an example. The 25-year-old from Cardiff has been one of the main protagonists of the opening six days of the Tour and was again in sensational form again. Brailsford added: "There is no better leadout man in the world than Geraint Thomas - I don't care what anybody says. Phenomenal. "He's got the ability across the board, he's a fantastic asset to this team."

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