Thomas Grogg (Visma Lease-a-Bike) will make his long-awaited return to racing in the Czech Tour, almost a year after being struck by a car driver and breaking his kneecap last August.

When she starts on Thursday, the talented young Englishman will be racing for the first time in 362 days since Clasica San Sebastian at the end of July 2023. Surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation process have kept him out of competition for most of his second full season in Visma.

“I was on my way home after recovery training. All of a sudden I got hit by a car and broke my kneecap. What I remember is looking at my left leg after the hit and thinking something was wrong with my kneecap,” he recalled the incident in a release from the team.

“At the moment I feel happy and healthy. I had a good training session. It feels like a victory to finally be back racing. Racing, of course, is very different from training.”

Grogg has had some great results as a neo-pro, finishing 6th overall in the 2023 Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana and 11th in the Tour de Romandie.

He completed 21 stages as team leader Primosz Roglic took the overall win. But for now, Grog is happy to be back as a racer.

“I'm looking forward to putting on my race number again and returning to the peloton with my teammates.

“I finally feel like a cyclist again.”

Grogg will be part of a strong Visma Lease-a-Bike seven-man team that combines youth and experience in the Czech Tour. Matthew Brennan, who has had success at the Giro NextGen, and former Giro Mountain prize winner Cane Bouwman have extensive experience on the World Tour.

Bouwman will lead the GC charge along with talented Norwegian Johannes Stauné-Mitte, who won his first pro win on the Czech Tour in 2023. Brennan, Morten Erling-Nordtoft, and Dario Igor Beretta will look to step up from the development team and gain experience.

Grogg credits his physical therapist, the Visma team staff, and his girlfriend Lucinda for helping him through a difficult time in a positive way.

“It certainly wasn't an easy time. But with the support of so many people, we managed to get through it,” Groer said.

“I'm concentrating on getting into the rhythm of the race. The result is not my priority and I can't expect that from myself.”

“Now it's time to give back to all the people who helped me. I am truly grateful to everyone and I will never forget how well they have treated me. There are too many people to list, but now I want to make them proud.”