Zdenek Stybar (Quick Step) is set to make his return to cyclocross competition in the first round of the Superprestige series, in Ruddervoorde, to the south of Brugge, Belgium. The World champion has been resting up in recent weeks, following what he described as a “silly” post-race accident, where he bumped into a protective barrier in the backstage area and injured his knee.
After missing last weekend’s Vlaamse Industrieprijs Bosduin in Kalmthout, and flying to the island of Mallorca for a brief training camp, the 25-year-old Czech has declared himself fit to race once more.
“Fortunately, these last few days in Mallorca I managed to put in some good workouts without my knee hurting me,” he said.
Stybar won last year’s Ruddervoorde race, after a hard fought battle with Rabo-Giant rider Bart Aernouts, where he only managed to drop the Belgian on the final lap. This year though, he doesn’t expect to achieve anything like the same result on the flattish course, where most of the obstacles are man made.
“My goal for Sunday is to try and put in a good trial after a period of having stopped. I’m not in the best shape due to the injury and at this time I don’t know how well prepared I am compared to my main rivals.
“As always, though, I’m going to try to do my best.”
Stybar won the first two rounds of the Superprestige series last season, at Ruddervoorde and Zonhoven, before the knee problem that blighted the middle of his winter struck. His early lead in the competition was lost as he was unable to be at one hundred percent for many races – and sat out most of December – allowing the Kannibaal Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet) to take an incredible tenth series victory.
This winter, following his first serious season on the road, ‘Styby’ is aiming for honours in the World Cup and the GvA Trofee, as well as the Superprestige series. If he is to succeed he will need to take at least a few points on Sunday so as not to lose too much ground on his rivals.