Belgian Evenepoel set to return after 'hardest battle'

Double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel said on Monday he had doubted if he would ever be able to recover from injuries sustained in a horror crash in December, while confirming his comeback at this week's Brabantse Pijl race in Flanders.

The 25-year-old Belgian suffered multiple injuries in the accident, including fractures to his rib, shoulder blade and hand, contusions to his lungs, and a dislocation of his right clavicle that left the surrounding ligaments torn.

He crashed into a postal vehicle's open door while he was on a training ride in Oetingen, Belgian media reported.

"After days, weeks, months of waiting and waiting, I can finally look towards my first races. The way to where I am now has been very hard and challenging," Evenepoel, who had surgery on the day of the crash, wrote in a post on Instagram.

"Definitely the hardest battle of my life so far. Mentally and physically, I can honestly say that I have been under the ground and really doubted a lot of my future. Loads of tears and frustration were present in our life."