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Swift recovering well

Image: Swift: Recovering at home

Ben Swift is already planning his comeback after crashing out of the final race at Challenge Mallorca on Wednesday.

Brit targets Classics comeback

Ben Swift is already planning his comeback after crashing out of the final race at Challenge Mallorca on Wednesday. After a brief spell in hospital the 25-year-old is already looking towards joining up with the team ahead of their first big target of the year – an assault on the Spring Classics. Now back in the UK and taking time out to recover from his crash at Trofeo Alcuda, Swift is philosophical about the spill on the descent off the Coll d’Honor. “I don’t remember anything about the crash itself and my first recollections are of a paramedic and doctor standing over me,” the Brit told his website. “After being taken for assessment at a local hospital I flew back to the UK and have undergone some pretty detailed scans in the time since then. Fortunately they’ve shown no broken bones and no significant head injuries, so there won’t be much time off the bike. “I’ve experienced a lot of swelling around my knees, and they’re still hurting, but once that goes down I should be good to go again.”

Climbing form

Despite the brief setback Swift pronounced himself happy with his form, particularly on the tough Mallorcan climbs. “I’m really happy with the form I showed in Mallorca before the crash,” he explained. “I’ve trained really hard over the winter and felt really good being back in the peloton. There were no ill effects from my shoulder and I’d been pleased with my form. Because I was riding with our climbers I didn’t have a dedicated lead-out train, but they looked after me brilliantly and got me into a position where I could fight for myself in the final kilometres. “I’m used to doing that and actually enjoyed it as it’s great practice for later in the season. To get third on my first race back at the Trofeo Palma was encouraging, and although I was disappointed with my result at the Trofeo Campos, I learned a lot from the experience and was back in the mix at the Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana.” With the form he showed Swift believes he could have been in a good position to challenge for victory if not for the crash. He continued: “The most annoying thing about the whole week is knowing that I was in with a great chance of getting a big result on the day I crashed. I’d been climbing really well and had done all the hard work by getting over the day’s two climbs in a really good position. There were only about 30-40 guys left in the bunch and I fancied my chances on the flat finish into Alcudia because most of the other sprinters had been shelled. “The way I’m climbing has given me a lot of confidence though and I’m pleased with the progress I’ve made.”
Classics aim
Swift is looking to waste little time as the team’s preparations continue in earnest for the Classics, with another spell in Mallorca next on the agenda. “Now I’m concentrating on getting myself back to full fitness and hopefully that’ll come in time for the start of the Classics. I’ll spend a week or so recovering at home and then fly back out to Mallorca for a training camp with the Classics group which has just been riding in Qatar. It’ll be fun to meet up with them and the aim is to be back in business at Het Nieuwsblad on February 23.”

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