Ladies Katrijn De Clercq returns to the peloton after heavy crash at Le Samyn
Good news from the Lotto Ladies Team, as Katrijn De Clercq is making her return to the peloton this Sunday. De Clercq had to undergo months of rehabilitation after a nasty crash during Le Samyn des Dames in early March. The fall—an unsettling scene where De Clercq lay on the tarmac for a long time—had severe consequences. She suffered multiple fractures, including her chin and a complex break in her pinky finger. “I couldn’t chew for five weeks,” she recalls. “That was tough, but luckily my mom got very creative in the kitchen.” It also meant a forced break from the bike. “Because I couldn’t train at first, I suddenly had time to catch up on my university studies. So I guess that was a small silver lining,” says De Clercq, who studies biochemistry and biotechnology at Ghent University.
Despite the serious injuries, her recovery progressed faster than expected. “At first I couldn’t train because of the surgeries and painkillers, but two weeks later I was already back on the indoor trainer. Five weeks after the crash, I was riding outside again. I don’t feel completely back to my old self just yet, but I’m almost fully recovered. I just miss that peak form I had at the start of the season.”
De Clercq will make her comeback at the Trofee Maarten Wynants, which features a local circuit of 116 kilometers—11 laps of 10.6 km in and around Helchteren. “It’s a race with lots of laps on a local course, so it definitely has some 'kermesse vibes'. I remember from previous editions that there’s a lot of street furniture, which can make the race quite dangerous. So it’ll be important to stay well-positioned at the front with the team.”
As for her ambitions, De Clercq remains realistic: “I don’t dare set any expectations just yet. Without any race rhythm, I have no idea where I stand. I usually need a few races to really get into form. But I’m incredibly excited to race again. Training is fun, but I really missed racing.”
Photo: Brecht Steenhouwer
