Steels improving

Belgian pro Tom Steels broke his collarbone in a bunch sprint crash in the second stage of the Tour of Qatar just nine days ago, but the Predictor-Lotto rider is already getting better. "I trained two hours on Sunday," he told Belgian media. "With pain killers of course, because I really feel that my body got a serious knock-over. But it's okay..."

Steels will join his teammates in a training camp in Italy this week, but he will not be at the start of the GP Costa degli Etruschi this coming Saturday, February 10. Instead, he will make his return to racing on February 21 in the Portuguese Volta ao Algarve.