Tao Geoghegan Hart recollects weird feeling when signing for Lidl-Trek: "I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t bend my leg. I couldn’t do anything"

Tao Geoghegan Hart has made the move from INEOS Grenadiers to Lidl-Trek despite suffering serious injuries in a crash back in May at the Giro d'Italia. He looks back at that time, his recovery and goals.

Can he return to his best level again after a pelvis fracture? “No one can predict that. Especially when they know the reality. But I don’t have anything now, there’s no flexibility restriction, I don’t have any more strength discrepancy than I’ve ever had, and all the testing I’ve done looks really good," Hart told GCN. "I was very neutral. It was so weird to sign a contract in those times and to think about being a professional cyclist on any team when you’re so far away. I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t bend my leg. I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t ride a city bike. I felt nothing."

Hart's injuries were big and he hasn't raced since. Nevertheless, testing led to positive results and he is currently training normally for the 2024 season. Despite the tough competition that will be present, the Briton is keen on aiming towards the Tour de France. “It’s always about results. We’re not in this game for anything else but for me personally, it’s always about the level. 100 per cent. If you look at who is on the startline for the Tour this year, the amount of depth there is, it’s going to be so unpredictable."

"So you just need to aim at getting there in your best shape. I was at that level in the Giro last year, and that’s going to be the aim again. If I achieve that then I’ll have to be happy with the results that come with that because things change really fast.” Together with Mads Pedersen, the duo will lead the American team in search of success after the team had a big increase in budget from the supermarket chain.