"I feel healthy and 100% so I am ready to race": Matteo Jorgenson returns from injury alongside Wout van Aert at Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

The Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (formerly known as Criterium du Dauphiné) begins this Sunday, featuring an eight-stage route that includes a team time trial on the third day and several challenging mountain finishes. The race marks the competitive comeback of Matteo Jorgenson, who has recovered from a broken collarbone, as well as the return of Wout van Aert, who pins on a race number for the first time since winning Paris-Roubaix.

Jorgenson's spring campaign was disrupted by a heavy crash at the Amstel Gold Race, forcing him into a period of rehabilitation.

“I am really looking forward to racing again. I think this year I haven’t raced that much, which was by choice. Once I broke my collarbone, more races were removed. I’m really looking forward to getting back and to getting a number back on again,” Jorgenson said in a team statement.

After completing a three-week altitude training block in Spain with his Team Visma | Lease a Bike teammates, the American rider is confident about his form. “In the last three weeks I have trained really well with my teammates in Sierra Nevada. I have felt really supported by the team throughout the whole recovery process. I feel healthy and 100% so I am ready to race.”

Despite the injury setback, Jorgenson maintains high expectations for the week ahead, noting that his training volume remained mostly intact.

“I always want to try to win. It’s been my goal all season to win a race. In the end, I only missed two weeks of training. The injury set me back, but I was able to train really well and feel completely ready now.”

Sports director Maarten Wynants acknowledged the high level of competition expected at the eight-day race but expressed confidence in the team's dual-leadership strategy with Jorgenson and Van Aert.

“It will become a tough Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, especially with this strong list of participants,” Wynants explained. “We are also present with a strong line-up and as always we will do everything to get the best possible result out of it."

"For both our leaders it’s their first race back. For Matteo, it’s his first race after his injury. He has trained really good to be back in form. For Wout, it’s his first race back after his win in Paris-Roubaix, which means he is really motivated."