Carapaz, Nys, Widar and Hirschi return to racing after injury setbacks

A few days before the Tour de Suisse gets underway, Sunday’s GP Gippingen offers several notable comebacks. Richard Carapaz, Thibau Nys, Jarno Widar and home rider Marc Hirschi are all listed among the riders returning to competition after spells on the sidelines. The Swiss one-day race is held at 1.1 level and serves as a useful stepping stone toward the bigger stage awaiting many riders later in the week.

Carapaz is making his first racing appearance since March after undergoing surgery in April to remove a perineal cyst, which forced him to miss the Giro d’Italia. EF Education-EasyPost confirmed that the Ecuadorian will ride GP Gippingen before moving on to the Tour de Suisse, where he will test his form with the Tour de France in mind.

“Right now, I feel good on the bike,” Carapaz said via EF Education-EasyPost. “I’ve been able to spend a good time at home, recover in the best possible way, train well, and above all, I’ve been in one place the whole time. That has been very good for me to be able to put together a new training block. I’ve found a stable rhythm again.”

Nys is also set for his first race kilometres after undergoing knee surgery earlier this year. Widar, meanwhile, has been dealing with a knee issue of his own and is expected to race for the first time since February. After GP Gippingen, the Belgian will head to the Tour de Suisse, which begins on Wednesday in Sondrio.

For Widar, that means an immediate step into new territory. The Tour de Suisse will be his first WorldTour race, and his preparation has been far from typical. After time off the bike and a delayed training build-up, he heads into Switzerland with freshness but also uncertainty about his level.

Carapaz is not treating the coming week as a simple return to the peloton. The former Giro d’Italia winner sees the Tour de Suisse as an important test before July, especially after such a long break from competition. “The Tour de Suisse is a race that I’m always quite fond of,” Carapaz said. “I’ve prepared for it in the best possible way, and also with an eye on the Tour. It is going to be a trial by fire.”

The Ecuadorian added that his early season had been complicated, but said he now feels focused and motivated ahead of the summer. “I’m always highly motivated for the Tour. I have big aspirations,” he said.

Author: David Bavin-Hobbs - [email protected]