Klöden back after a rest

By Susan Westemeyer

Andreas Klöden has used the three weeks since the Tour de France ended to rest up and recuperate. Now he's ready to go again. "I took it pretty easy during this time," the T-Mobile rider said on his Web site, www.andreas-kloeden.com.

"I didn't do too much in training - no more than four hours easy training a day was enough to bring my muscles, which desperately needed this break, back into shape. And my head is clear again for the rest of the season."

He has moved back into the racing scene in the Rothaus Regio-Tour in Germany. "After a three weeks racing pause, my body needs a few kilometres to really get into drive, but then I hope for a good race!"

Things didn't get off to a good start, though, as he was involved in a crash which sent two other riders to the hospital. Klöden and team-mate Michael Rogers both fell, but were able to finish the race and are expected to start again today. "Tonight we will see how the two are doing," said directeur sportif Valerio Piva. Klöden finished the stage in the main group, six seconds behind winner Danilo Hondo.