Thomas Gloag (Visma-Lease a Bike) will make his long-awaited return to racing on the Czech Tour, virtually one 12 months after being hit by a driver of a automotive final August and breaking his kneecap.
It will likely be 362 days because the gifted younger Brit has raced when he takes the beginning on Thursday, along with his final look being the Clasica San Sebastian on the finish of July in 2023. Surgical procedure and a prolonged rehabilitation interval stored him out of competitors for a lot of his second full 12 months with Visma.
“I used to be driving residence after a restoration coaching. All of a sudden, I used to be hit by a automotive, and I broke my kneecap. What I keep in mind is my left leg after the collision and seeing that my kneecap didn’t look proper,” mentioned Gloag as he recalled the incident in a launch from the workforce.
“In the meanwhile, I really feel comfortable and wholesome once more. I’ve accomplished a very good coaching block. It seems like a victory that I can lastly return to racing. A race is, in fact, very totally different from coaching.”
Gloag confirmed nice indicators in 2023 as a neo-pro with sixth general on the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana and eleventh on the Tour de Romandie, earlier than struggling by a Grand Tour debut on the Giro d’Italia, the place he was referred to as up on extraordinarily quick discover.
He did make it by the 21 phases as workforce chief Primož Roglič took general victory. For now, although, Gloag is simply delighted to be again as a racer.
“I’m trying ahead to pinning a race quantity once more and returning to the peloton with my teammates,” he mentioned.
“I lastly really feel like a bike owner once more.”
Gloag makes up a part of a robust Visma-Lease a Bike seven-man squad on the Czech Tour, with youth and expertise all through. Fellow British expertise Matthew Brennan joins him after a profitable Giro Subsequent Gen, whereas former Giro King of the Mountains Koen Bouwman brings a wealth of WorldTour expertise.
Bouwman will lead the GC cost alongside Johannes Staune-Mittet, the gifted Norwegian who took his first professional win on the Czech Tour in 2023. Brennan, Morten Aalling Nørtoft and Dario Igor Belletta shall be seeking to acquire expertise stepping up from the event workforce.
Gloag gave excessive reward to the physiotherapists, Visma workforce workers and his girlfriend Lucinda for serving to him keep constructive by the tough interval as he goals to simply settle again into “race rhythm” slightly than put any stress on outcomes.
“It was definitely not a straightforward time. Nonetheless, with the help of many individuals, I managed to get by it,” mentioned Gloag.
“I’m primarily targeted on gaining race rhythm. Outcomes usually are not the precedence, and I shouldn’t anticipate that from myself both.
“It’s now time to present one thing again to all of the individuals who helped me. I’m immensely grateful to everybody and can always remember how effectively they handled me. There are too many individuals to say, however I wish to make them proud now.”
