No Worlds because of an infection
Actually I wanted to be in Canada now and ride the two races in Quebec and Montreal this weekend. Instead, I am home and happy that I am almost healthy again. The last weeks I have had to fight a persistent infection. With my eye on the World Championships, I was probably back on the bike too soon and had a relapse.
First race back in sight
If you were underway on your bike in Thüringen last week, then you might have seen me on the road. My hand has healed so well that I can finally use it for training on the road again. I started training on the rollers again only six days after my operation, to keep my training loss as small as possible. But since about a week I have been out in the fresh air again.
Watching TV and looking forward
It is supposed to be six weeks until my hand is fully healed again. That doesn't mean that I have to wait that long to get back on the bike, but I definitely won't be able to race again until after that. I will do what I can to get back in shape again. Meanwhile I evaluate the crash in the ITT in Pau soberly. Crashes happens in our sport.
In the middle of a great spectacle
The opener here in Brussels has been a giant spectacle, and an experience which I will never forget. The first stage in front of a million fans was simply grandiose. And in the team time trial yesterday we rode through a 30 kilometer long tunnel of fans. That motivates tremendously.We finished twelfth, at 46 seconds down. The results were in order.
No time to be nervous
The team presentation was a lot of fun, and the mood was great. But what else would you expect in the cycling nation of Belgium. There were so many people there and the whole presentation was an experience which I won't forget soon. I can't really imagine a better opening for this Tour. Otherwise the whole media work is simply very stressful.
