Luke Plapp spent week of recovery "screaming in the shower" before return to racing at Surf Coast Classic

Luke Plapp's Tour Down Under hopes quite literally crashed and burned last week. Keen to continue showing off the Australian National Champion's jersey in his home nation however, Plapp returned to action on Thursday at the Surf Coast Classic.

“There’s been a lot of time in bed and just trying to get ready, dressing the wounds, screaming in the shower but it’s getting better each day and that’s why I’m really confident for Sunday," Plapp told Cycling News, eyeing the upcoming Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. "That’s what I have had my eye on since I crashed."

After coming home in 77th at the Surf Coast Classic, as Biniam Girmay took the win, Plapp was using the race as a testing of the waters before the weekend. "I think the best part is that I’ve had my eyes on Sunday. Cadel's had kept me really motivated and it's what I’ve been trying to work towards in terms of getting better and trying to do all the recovery I can for Sunday," he explains.

"I definitely won’t be participating in the finish at the end, in terms of pushing and shoving and being a part of it, but if I can help the team control the race early or control the break, if that is possible then that would be great as an objective,” concludes Plapp.