Gesink makes a comeback in a climbing race in Catalonia after a ‘nasty break’ | Cycling

Mar 19, 2023 at 09:29 Update: 4 minutes ago

Robert Gesink will make his comeback in the peloton in the Tour of Catalonia on Monday. The Jumbo-Visma veteran has recovered from a pelvic fracture and wants to help Primoz Roglic win the overall victory in the Spanish climb race.

The 36-year-old Gesink sustained the fracture in January during the Tour Down Under. The Dutchman was tapped on his rear wheel during the opening stage and crashed hard. He landed with his head on the asphalt. In the hospital, he was found to have suffered only a pelvic fracture.

“It was a nasty break, but I was able to switch quickly. Unfortunately, these kinds of setbacks are also part of cycling,” Gesink said on the Jumbo-Visma site on Sunday. The Varssevelder was soon back on his bike. After two weeks he was able to train pain-free again.

“I’ve done everything I can to get as fit as possible. Even at my age, I’m still looking forward to pinning on a number and developing cyclist Robert Gesink little by little. I’m good enough to get a to play a significant role in the coming week, otherwise I would have been absent.”

In the Tour of Catalonia, Gesink rides for Roglic. For Jumbo-Visma, the Spanish stage race, with seven tough mountain stages, is the ultimate test for the Giro d’Italia (May 6-28). Roglic is the intended leader for the Giro and a large part of the Giro selection of the Dutch team rides in Catalonia.

Roglic made a big impression in the Tirreno-Adriatico last week. The three-time winner of the Vuelta won three stages in a row and also took the overall victory. His rival Tadej Pogacar did not participate in the Tirreno. Just like Tour winner and Jumbo-Visma rider Jonas Vingegaard, he rode Paris-Nice and won the final classification in the French stage race.

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