Philippe Gilbert returns to racing just two months after shocking Tour de France crash

The Belgian one-day specialist suffered a broken kneecap after hitting a wall on a descent

Philippe Gilbert after a crash on stage 16 of the 2018 Tour de France (ASO)

Philippe Gilbert will make an unexpected return to racing this year, just two months after a dramatic Tour de France crash.

The 36-year-old suffered a broken kneecap after he hit a low wall and fell some distance on stage 16 of the Tour.

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Alex Ballinger

Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers.  Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.