De Maar returning to racing

Marc de Maar is planning his return to the peloton today in the Vuelta a Catalunya, following a long spell off with a bacterial infection. I am 100 percent fit and healthy, that is the important thing," the 23 year-old Rabobank rider said.

In an interview on the team's website, rabobank.nl, the second-year pro noted that he had been sick since the end of last season. His last race was the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon, where he could not finish because of a return of the health problems.

He noted that he had not picked the easiest race for his return. "And it begins with a team time trial. That will be exciting, it is an interesting discipline. Normally, I should do well in it."

He is unsure, though, as to how he will do in his return. "I haven't had any pressure from the team, which was good. But I'm a little nervous about how I will react to the physical efforts; will I have a relapse?"

"Right now I am cautious," he said. "I hope to have a stabile level and then we will look at which races I will ride," de Maar continued. "During training you don't know how you stand. Therefore I have no idea what kind of return I will make the next few days."