"I'm not done with performing, I still want to perform" - Michael Valgren returns to Classics, 18 months after his major injury
Cycling
The road to this year's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was not a straightforward one for the race's former champion Michael Valgren. After a major injury in 2022, the Dane had to build from zero again, but he managed and now he's back, talking to Cyclingnews about what it means for the 32-year-old to return to the professional peloton.
"I'm super happy and grateful to be back here, super glad to be in a World Tour race and to be going to the big races this year. I feel like I belong here, so for sure it's a bonus, but I'm not, let's say, done with performing, I still want to perform."
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But the big goal and test in February, Valgren said, will come at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. "Obviously I have good memories of that, it was my first big win in a one-day race so I look forward to being back there," he said. "The last time was in 2022, so obviously, it’s been a while for me to get back to the cobbles, but I love these races. I feel great, and I think I can be up there in the final in Nieuwsblad, so that’s my ambition and my hope."
"I think it is possible to do well in both. When I won Omloop in 2018, I was also fourth in Flanders, so that could easily have been a win, then I went on to Amstel and I won there, too," he said. "So I think a lot depends more on where your head is. If you feel tired after Omloop, it’s a bad sign, but if you feel fresh and good inside yourself, you can ride and perform in the whole Classics season."
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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