Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto-Belisol) has finally been cleared to resume training, almost four months after crashing out of the Tour de France, the 30-year-old Belgian announced on his Twitter feed today. Van Den Broeck came down hard on his right knee during the fifth stage of the Tour, between Cagnes-sur-Mer and Marseille. Despite finishing the stage, he was unable to start the next day as blood had to twice be drained from the swollen joint.
“Today finally green light to start training towards 2014!! #mesohappy,” the Belgian Tweeted.
Van Den Broeck’s injury turned out to be even worse than expected, as he was diagnosed with partial cracks to both his posterior cruciate and medial ligaments, as well as a cartilage injury, and bruises to the bone and patella tendon. Such was the extent of the damage to his knee, it was feared that the crash may have ended his career.
The Belgian underwent an operation at the Herentals Clinic, in Belgium, on July 10th, and has been able to go for short rides, but has not been allowed to resume training until now.
Van Den Broeck has twice finished fourth in the Tour de France, in 2010 and 2012, the best for a Belgian in a generation, but crashed out of the race in both of the subsequent editions. In 2011 he was one of a number of victims of a crash on the descent of the Col du Pas de Peyrol (Puy Mary) during the ninth stage, between Issoire and Saint-Flour, fracturing ribs and a shoulder, and suffering a pneumothorax.
The Lotto-Belisol rider will doubtless start the 2014 season with the aim of becoming the first Belgian to make the Tour podium since Lucien Van Impe finished second in 1981.