Efimkin back to racing after Tour de France injury

Russian Vladimir Efimkin will return to racing for the first time in seven weeks in the Giro della Romagna on September 6. The AG2R La Mondiale rider crashed and injured his left knee in the Tour de France's stage 11, which forced him to abandon four days later.

"I could not train a lot because there was a very strong pain," Efimkin told Cyclingnews. "I rested, but when I started again there was more pain. The last four weeks have gone very well, though."

Efimkin crashed early into stage 11 to Saint-Fargeau, but was able to finish the with the race favourites. He abandoned 100 kilometres into the Tour's stage 15 to Verbier.

"I suffered with four days of incredible pain. I could not continue racing," he said. "It is too bad, I was there, only a week left to race."

At his home in Italy, he passed a total of two weeks without training. He started training once, but there was still pain in his knee and his doctor advised him to rest more. AG2R have scheduled him for the Giro della Romagna, Tour of Britain and other races through to the Giro di Lombardia.

"I am more or less at 80 per cent and I am looking for race rhythm. I would like to do something in these races: a result."

Efimkin placed tenth overall in his first Tour de France last year and won the Bagnères-de-Bigorre stage after Riccardo Riccò's disqualification for doping.

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