Grillo dreams of recovery and Giro start

Paride Grillo is recovering from his New Year's Day scare resulting from crashing his BMW Z4 Coupe into an electrical box. The Italian sprinter of Team CS Group Navigare has been in Como's Sant'Anna Hospital for the last seven days, but hopes for a return that will see him race in the Giro d'Italia this May.

"I remained trapped in the car for a half an hour," recalled the 25 year-old to La Gazzetta dello Sport of the crash that occurred around 8:00 near his home in Appiano Gentile. "My chest was smashed against the steering wheel. From the incident I can only remember that they had to rip off the top of the car."

The worst fears have passed and Grillo remains with cuts and pains, but considers himself lucky. "Now I have a little cut in my head, nasal septum and two broken ribs... My left ring finger is all stitched up and my right leg is completely black from hematoma. My right knee worries me the most. I am waiting for the magnetic resonance – I can't sleep; I hope that they don't have to operate.

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"After the incident I thought that I was unlucky, then I saw the photos of my car and that frightened me. I understood that I was very lucky. Maybe someone was watching down on me and wanted the best for me.

"My parents have probably lost 20 years of their life from their preoccupation. The only colleague who came to visit me was Luca Paolini – he was very alarmed."

The Giro d'Italia departs from Sicilia on May 10, and Grillo dreams of being race-ready. "I thinking about it a lot," stated Grillo of his bicycle. "I wanted to start off strong in Malaysia and repay the team with a victory.

"If anyone thinks that I have a hot head and I don't have the life of an athlete then they are mistaken. Maybe they judge me from my haircut. I can't wait for when I am able to return to training. I not trying to create illusions for myself, but I am dreaming to be ready for the Giro."