Sicard still recovering from knee problem

Romain Sicard is recovering very slowly from knee problems which have kept him out of racing most of this season. Euskaltel-Euskadi manager Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano admitted that he was worried about how long the recovery is taking.

“The truth is that I am worried,” he told Biciciclismo. “He has a major injury, which isn't too serious, but has taken a long time to heal and is still in the recovery period. I trust that within a week or 15 days he will be back on his bike.”

So far this season, the former U23 World Champion has finished the Ruta del Sol and had to abandon both Paris-Nice and the Volta a Catalunya.

The problem was originally diagnosed as stemming from new cycling shoes, but that is not so, Gonzalez de Galdeano said. “He fell at home in December and that created a problem with his pedalling. That produced a problem which affects one leg, which has now been weakened, and he hasn't been able to recover his pedal stroke.”

He continued, “These things are rare but the truth is that we are concerned. I hope he can train within a week, and then we'll practically have to start from scratch.”

If things go well, Sicard, 23, could start racing again the end of July and may be able to hope for a spot in the Vuelta a Espana.