Not all UAE Team Emirates cyclists are starting the season with full enthusiasm. This is the case of Sjoerd Bax. The 28-year-old Dutchman, a member of the UAE team, is currently in the process of rehabilitation, after a serious accident with Remco Evenepoel, during the Tour of Lombardy.
Accident in Il Lombardia
Tragedy struck Bax at the start of Il Lombardia. Remco Evenepoel lost his balance and grabbed the handlebars of the UAE Team Emirates cyclist. They both fell, leaving Bax sitting on the ground, shaking his head immediately.
Remember the accident
“Fortunately, I had surgery the same night,” the Dutchman told Dutch website In De Leiderstrui. “The mefics inserted a screw in the hip and it’s still there. During the operation, they cut some muscle to get to it and then hammered the screw into the bone.”
Learn to walk again
“After that, the bone was whole again, but of course the rest of his body was also affected. Everything around that bone needs to be strengthened again. After four days, I returned home and from there I had to learn to walk again and did a lot of strength training.”
“Because it’s a big bone, everything takes a long time. I walked with two crutches for four weeks and then with one. Then I started cycling indoors and it was very easy, because you can move your legs.”
Uncertain future
When Bax is asked about returning, he expresses uncertainty. “I don’t know when I’ll be back, it really depends on how quickly everything goes well. If everything goes really well, maybe I could be really good in April or May.”
“Things are going in the right direction. I can cycle a little again, although you can’t call it training yet. Drive slowly and things will improve a little each week. It’s a serious injury, but I think everything will be fine”, concluded Sjoerd Bax.
