Cervélo TestTeam enjoyed its final rest day at the Tour de France on Wednesday as the team prepares for the final push to Paris.
 
Riders met with journalists in the morning before taking a light training ride to keep the legs fresh ahead of Thursday's showdown on the Col du Tourmalet, one of the legendary climbs in Tour history.
 
Carlos Sastre (SPA) says the mountain-top finish will present him with the last chance to try to win a stage in this year's Tour. The 2008 Tour champ sits 15th overall at 9:02 back.
 
"It's a mythic climb. For us climbers, it's the last chance to try something different," Sastre said. "Tomorrow's stage with the Tourmalet is a very demanding stage, and marks the start of the home strait of this year's race, which so far has been very fast and really hard. And to top that off, tomorrow's stage follows on from today's rest stage, which in many cases hinders rather than helps. Whatever happens, tomorrow is an important day that will be full of developments regarding the final positions of this race."
 
Thor Hushovd (NOR) will step back into the spotlight Friday in what's typically a sprinter's finish into Bordeaux.
 
Hushovd recaptured the green jersey in Tuesday's mountain stage across the Pyrénées and holds a slender, 191-187, lead to Alessandro Petacchi (ITA).
 
"The last week of the Tour it's more important that you have fresh legs and feeling strong. This fight is similar to last year. I like the Tour when it's harder. The harder is it, the better it is for me," Hushovd said. "Petacchi is the most dangerous rider. It's not a surprise to see him so strong, because he's always been a great sprinter. He's 36 years old, so it's somewhat encouraging to see him in good form again."
 
Sastre will count on Volodimir Gustov (UKR) to help him hunt for the lead group in Thursday's stage while the rest of the team will be looking to overcome the final mountain stage of the 2010 Tour.
 
Brett Lancaster (AUS) said Cervélo will have two more chances for stage victories with Hushovd in the closing weekend of action.
 
"We have good chances for sprints on Friday and again in Paris. Thor is getting better and I know he'd like to win one more stage," Lancaster said. "I would also like to have a good final time trial (Saturday). It's been a hard Tour, so I think some of the time trial specialists will be tired. I think I can have a good ride."
 
The 97th Tour clicks back into gear Thursday with the decisive summit finish up the Col du Tourmalet in the 174km 17th stage. The top GC favorites will be gunning for the stage victory in the final opportunity to open up advantages in the mountains of this year's Tour.