Simon Carr is back and ready to force his way into the Cofidis Tour de France team: 'A stage win—why not?'

Simon Carr is back. The British rider from Cofidis last competed in March, but returned to racing on Thursday at the Route d'Occitanie. He did so with a clear goal: to prove that he deserves a spot in the Tour de France. He also had some thing to say about his teammates, who clearly see him as a suitable candidate.

The bad luck the 27-year-old rider from Hereford has experienced this year is, unfortunately for him, nothing new. Carr has been struggling with knee injuries for some time now. “I’ve had two of them. That’s not fun, because I haven’t been able to show my true level for a number of years,” he told DirectVélo on Thursday. But: “Now that’s behind me, I hope to finally take the next step and show my potential in the biggest races.”

He underwent surgery in March, after which, in his own words, he “could do virtually nothing during training for four weeks.” He then worked hard at home to prepare for his return and subsequently traveled to the Sierra Nevada with the team for high-altitude training. He also traveled to Andorra on his own to further hone his form.

So Carr isn’t in a bad spot. “I think I’m in good shape, but since I haven’t raced since Milan-Turin, it’s definitely different. I’m still a little nervous about coming back here,” he admitted honestly. “I wanted to come back sooner, as early as the Tour of Hungary. But the team preferred to wait and not rush anything.”

He then did everything he could to return as quickly as possible. “That’s finally happening now. Of course, there’s still room for improvement; I’m heading into the unknown.” Carr also knows what’s at stake. “If I perform well here, I’d like to compete in the Tour de France. That’s my goal.”

Compared to his teammates, the Brit believes he belongs there. “I feel like the team doesn’t have many riders who can win a stage in the Tour, and I think I’m one of them. Even after my injury, I think I can do it—maybe through a breakaway. I want to show here at the Route d'Occitanie that I'm ready," he said.

If the Tour doesn't work out, Carr will focus on the Vuelta. “The goal doesn’t necessarily have to be the same. A stage win—why not?—but I might also consider going for the general classification. We’ll see. But the priority is the Tour de France, and I have to earn my spot,” the Brit concluded.