"I’m feeling more and more like myself" - Jay Vine back to training and looking to still race in 2024

Jay Vine had one of the most unusual upbringings into the pro cycling world, winning a Zwift competition that earned him a pro contract, but then developed into one of the world's most talented climbers. However, throughout his short career he has suffered with several injuries and badly-timed mishaps. In April his career and life were in danger following the mass crash at Itzulia Basque Country, but the UAE Team Emirates rider is back to training and hopeful of pinning a number once again in 2024.

Earlier in the year Vine led the UAE Tour into it's final and decisive stage but completely cracked on the climb to Jebel Hafeet, a major disappointment for the Australian who has taken a more secondary role in the UAE Team. He started Paris-Nice and the Volta a Catalunya, and at Itzulia Basque Country he hoped to put in a strong performance before the Giro d'Italia, but things didn't go to plan.

In the same crash that severely injured Jonas Vingegaard and involved the likes of Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic; Vine crashed into the gutter at speed and fractured three vertebrae. He required serious medical attention on the spot. His wife Bre talked about how bad the crash had been: "I will admit when I saw the live coverage of him just lying there not moving for such a long time, I genuinely wasn’t sure if I still had a husband and if the worst had happened".

Whilst other riders suffered brutal injuries alike, Vine was without a doubt the one who was sidelined for the longest. He had to spend a whole six weeks in a neck brace as a result but neurological damage was luckily avoided, which allows him to make a return to the sport. In late May, two months ago, he was given the green light to return to the bike outdoors, and currently he is training without serious limitations at home in the mountainous Andorra.

"It’s probably time for an update from me. It’s been 4 and a bit weeks since the doctors gave me the thumbs up to start riding descents again. Safe to say I’m enjoying being back on the bike and doing normal training sessions again + saving all that fuel going up and down the mountains," Vine said in an Instagram post. "Obviously recovery processes are never linear and we’ve needed to adapt at times, but the team has been all over it."

Vine holds a contract until 2027 and was not pressured to make a rushed return, but instead focus on his recovery whilst the team thrived in the Grand Tours despite his absence. Away from the spotlight, the 28-year old has been building form and confidence back on the bike, specially downhill after the crash certainly left a mental mark on him.

"I’m feeling more and more like myself, and most importantly having fun on the bike again. I’m currently up at altitude camp with the team and the other fellas getting some quality training sessions done. No I don’t have any race plans currently, and honestly we are taking it day by day / week by week but looking forward to pinning on a number again very soon," he concluded. The Vuelta a España is likely out of the picture, but with still over two months of season left, it is possible that he will make a return still this Autumn to the peloton.