'It's far from over,' says Sinkeldam as Giant-Alpecin riders begin return from training accident

While Ramon Sinkeldam and Frederik Ludvigsson have returned to racing after their training accident, four Giant-Alpecin riders remain out with injury

Ramon Sinkeldam at the 2015 Tour of Qatar (Sunada)
(Image credit: Yuzuru SUNADA)

Ramon Sinkeldam is the second Giant-Alpecin rider involved in the horrific collision with a car in January to return to racing, but the Dutchman says the repercussions of the crash are far from over.

Sinkeldam, 27, suffered a broken shoulder when he and five teammates were mown down by a motorist driving at speed on the wrong side of the road in Calpe, Spain, but is back racing at Tirreno-Adriatico.

Some of his teammates are not so lucky, however - still sidelined with their injuries for the foreseeable future and Sinkeldam

"It's far from over. I'm back, most riders are not," he said after stage two in Tirreno, quoted by Het Nieuwsblad.

"It goes well with me. I'm glad I'm back. It's not that I have a lot of fear - only in the descents, as we go very fast so are you more alert.

"The shoulder has recovered, but there remain a few nagging minor problems."

Warren Barguil, who suffered a fractured wrist in the crash, is set to return at the Tour of the Basque Country, with Fredrik Ludvigsson (cuts and bruises) returning at the Ruta del Sol in February.

Classics winner John Degenkolb (broken finger and forearm) will miss his defence of both Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix but should be able to return to racing in May, according to reports.

Max Walscheid (broken leg) and Chad Haga (eyesocket fractures) remain sidelined indefinitely.

"The worst is over," said Sinkeldam. "But it's not all over.

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Stuart Clarke is a News Associates trained journalist who has worked for the likes of the British Olympic Associate, British Rowing and the England and Wales Cricket Board, and of course Cycling Weekly. His work at Cycling Weekly has focused upon professional racing, following the World Tour races and its characters.