Gómez returns in Switzerland and wants Tour spot

Ángel 'Litu' Gómez can finally smile again. On Wednesday, the last screws were removed that were put in after he fractured his arm in a crash on April 6, in the Ronde van Vlaanderen. "That was some good news. Now, I can start to race again, without a problem. I can do the Tour de Suisse, June 14. I have a big desire to put on a racing number again," the Saunier Duval rider said.

Gómez had asked his sports director to switch his program from the Euskal Bizikleta to the Tour de Suisse. "I proposed that to [Joxean Fernandez] Matxin and he accepted that. The Tour de Suisse is better as a Tour de France preparation, both for its date and the level of competitiveness."

The Spaniard dreams of the Tour de France. "I have a great desire to make the Tour team and the Tour de Suisse has to get me into the necessary form. Matxin still hasn't told me anything, but I want a spot [on the Tour team]. I was training hard to make up for the lack of races."

Gómez crashed heavily in the Ronde van Vlaanderen, 60 kilometres from the finish, when he hit a little island traffic island that is used to divide up parking spaces.