No two roads to Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the Opening Weekend are ever equivalent, however for former winner Michael Valgren (EF Training-EasyPost), his lengthy countdown to Saturday’s begin in Gent is probably one of many rarest and most tenacious of latest years.
Valgren was victorious in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in 2018 earlier than occurring to clinch the Amstel Gold Race the identical spring. Nevertheless, in June 2022, on the Route d’Occitanie, a serious crash left the Danish rider with a fractured pelvis, two ruptured knee ligaments and a ruptured meniscus. That night, docs have been unwilling to say if a return to racing was ever going to be potential or if Valgren’s profession was over.
It did grow to be potential, lastly. However first got here after months of rehabilitation and a complete 12 months registered with the EF Training-Nippo Improvement Workforce in 2023, previous to a full-scale return to the WorldTour squad – with whom he additionally raced final season – this January.
Throughout the latest Volta ao Algarve, which he accomplished in a decent forty fourth place, Cyclingnews urged to Valgren that after such a troublesome 18 months, in some methods, something he achieves in racing from right here on in should really feel like a bonus.
The 33-year-old agreed, albeit initially in a considerably laconic Danish model, saying, “Yeah, you could possibly perhaps say it like that.”
However his enthusiasm and motivation shine by means of shortly sufficient afterwards when he instantly added, “I’m tremendous blissful and grateful to be again right here, tremendous glad to be in a World race and to be going within the huge races this 12 months.
“I really feel like I belong right here, so for positive it’s a bonus, however I’m not, let’s say, accomplished with performing, I nonetheless need to carry out.”
Most likely the very best information of all for Valgren is there have been no long-term results bodily from the crash, or as he places it, “Now I’m blissful, the shape is sweet, this 12 months I’m mainly getting ready for the Classics, I’m the place I need to be. I’ve had a very good winter, so I can’t complain in the meanwhile.”
Nor may he complain in regards to the Volta ao Algarve, both the place on stage 1 he did some sterling work for Marijn (van den Berg), saying afterwards that “I went during the last little kick with him within the prime 5 and delivered him earlier than the roundabout then my job was over.”
The sprinter, sadly, needed to abandon the race on stage 3 due to a crash that additionally poleaxed former World Champion and teammate Rui Costa, who suffered a damaged collarbone.
However the huge aim and take a look at in February, Valgren mentioned, will come at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
“Clearly I’ve good reminiscences of that, it was my first huge win in a one-day race so I stay up for being again there,” he mentioned.
“The final time was in 2022, so clearly, it’s been some time for me to get again to the cobbles, however I really like these races. And hopefully, this race [Volta ao Algarve] will give me the final little kick I have to carry out properly.
“I really feel nice, and I feel I might be up there within the closing in Nieuwsblad, in order that’s my ambition and my hope.”
Valgren will likely be doing a recon of the Belgian cobbles on Friday, mainly for the tyre pressures, somewhat than to refresh his reminiscence on how they really feel, after which he’ll proceed with Paris-Good earlier than heading to Flanders.
And as for whether or not he will likely be involved about peaking too quickly to then shine once more within the Tour of Flanders – most likely probably the most oft-repeated statistics about Belgian Classics is that no rider has ever gained Omloop and the Ronde in the identical 12 months – Valgren argued that in his case no less than, it’s not one thing that worries him. Private historical past, too, is on his aspect, albeit from six years in the past when he had his breakthrough season.
“I feel it’s potential to do properly in each. After I gained Omloop in 2018, I used to be additionally fourth in Flanders, so that might simply have been a win, then I went on to Amstel and I gained there, too,” he mentioned.
“So I feel loads relies upon extra on the place your head is. When you really feel drained after Omloop, it’s a foul signal, however if you happen to really feel contemporary and good inside your self, you’ll be able to trip and carry out in the entire Classics season.”
By way of his personal objectives, in any case, after his lengthy fightback, Valgren says he’s greater than motivated to have a go in all of the races he can.
“It’s actually arduous to deal with only one race just like the Tour of Flanders, say, I’d somewhat be actually good in the beginning of the 12 months and see how lengthy it lasts,” he mentioned.
“And I actually need to present myself. These races are so troublesome as a result of it’s not nearly legs; it is also about positioning and being fortunate. So hopefully, I’ll don’t have any unhealthy luck, and we’ll see how far I can get.”
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