Sawt Falasteen - Evenepoel targets return in time for Ardennes classics

The 24-year-old Belgian had hoped to resume racing at the start of March but said on Saturday that he was not going to rush back after his latest mishap.

"The initial plan was to return in the Ardeche and the Drome Classic (March 1-2). But all that has fallen through," Evenepoel told Belgian newspaper La Derniere Heure.

"If I can restart training around February 4-5, I'll only have three weeks in the legs before these two races."

"Today, I've only got one thing on my mind: to be at the start of the Fleche Brabanconne and then follow it up with the three other Ardennes classics, with the ambition of winning."

The Fleche Brabanconne is scheduled for April 18, with the classics trio of the Amstel Gold Race, La Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege taking place on April 20, 23 and 27.

"For the Giro (from May 9-June 1), it will probably be too soon (for a three-week race) even if you never know," added Evenepoel, whose main objective is the Tour de France.

His delayed comeback also means he will miss Milan-San Remo, the longest one-day race and the first Monument of the season, on March 22.

Evenepoel broke a hand, ribs and shoulder blade after striking the open door of a stationary van in Brussels on December 3 while preparing for the new season.

He also suffered contusions to his lungs, a dislocated collarbone and torn ligaments.

Evenepoel is no stranger to dramatic crashes, the most serious during the 2020 Tour of Lombardy when he plunged 10 metres into a ravine, suffering a pelvic fracture and lung injuries.

Last April, he was caught in a heavy collective fall at the Tour of the Basque Country, where he also fractured his collarbone and right shoulder blade.

Evenepoel is awaiting the results of a scan on January 9 to see if he can begin training again on a stationary bike.

"It's getting better, but slowly. I feel a bit of progress every day. In terms of exercise, I can't do anything, apart from a little manoeuvring of my shoulder so that it's not too stiff," he said.

W.Mansour--SF-PST