6 days ago
Germany's Degenkolb hopes to make cycling comeback in fall
German cyclist John Degenkolb from Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL takes part in the rider presentation, during the UCI WorldTour. Arne Dedert/dpa
German cyclist John Degenkolb hopes to return to action at the end of the season after suffering multiple fractures in a heavy crash at the Tour of Flanders in April.
"I fractured several bones in this crash, in my wrist, forearm, elbow and collarbone. Unfortunately, everything that could break, did break," the former Paris-Roubaix champion told broadcasters Eurosport.
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Degenkolb was involved in a mass crash little over halfway through the 269 kilometres race in Belgium.
The complexity of the injuries on his right side and the overall situation are more difficult than after the horrific accident in 2016, when he was hit by a car with a training group from his team in Spain.
But the German is not thinking about retirement.
"For me personally, it's very motivating that I never got to the point where I said: 'That's it.' It's my big goal, my big wish to race again.
"Next year I will hopefully be at the starting line for the Paris-Roubaix again," he said.
Degenkolb, 36, won Paris-Roubaix and Milan-Sanremo in 2015 and has stage wins at all three grand tours, the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana.
