Tom Dumoulin has recovered from a broken wrist two months after sustaining the injury, and is back on his bike riding again as he prepares for next season.
The 30-year-old was on a training ride in early September building towards the World Championships in Flanders, when a driver crashed into him, resulting in a fractured wrist as he tried to break his fall.
The Dutchman subsequently missed the World Championships, ending his 2021 season prematurely. However, he is back cycling again, albeit with a slightly less intense programme so that he can regain his confidence on the bike.
Dumoulin has resumed training in the Netherlands with a group of amateur cyclists, members of the Tour de Tietema Cycling Team. The Jumbo-Visma man seemed relaxed as he joined the cycling team for their ride, with the intensity set by the 2017 Giro d'Italia winner.
Since his injuries, Dumoulin has largely kept a low profile, opting to focus on his recovery rather than make his presence known while he couldn't ride. As well as the training cycle with locals, he also visited a local bike shop with the group.
Dumoulin's 2021 season featured a limited race schedule, after announcing in January that he would take an indefinite leave from the sport to better understand his motivations for cycling.
However, he still managed to show his quality in the year, achieving first place in the Dutch National Championships time trial in June, his first event after his return, and a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games time trial.
As Dumoulin seemed to rediscover the form that saw him perform so admirably a few years ago though, he suffered an injury while preparing for the World Championships. This proved a major setback in his season, because his wrist required surgery at the start of September.
The early signs from Dumoulin's training ride with Tour de Tietema Cycling Team though, suggests that he will enter 2022 fit and firing ready for the season with Jumbo-Visma.
