Tao Geoghegan Hart returns to racing at Tour of the Alps after illness setback: “I'm super happy to be here”

Tao Geoghegan Hart makes his return to competition today as he lines up for stage 1 of the Tour of the Alps, marking his first appearance since falling ill at the Volta a Catalunya last month. The former Giro d’Italia winner will also head to the Tour de Romandie later in April, as he builds form ahead of a likely Tour de France appearance this summer.

It’s been a stop-start spring for the Lidl-Trek rider, who is still the most recent British rider to win a Grand Tour. Originally not part of his schedule, the Tour of the Alps was added following his illness-induced withdrawal from Catalunya.

"It was not normally the plan to be here, but I'm super happy to be here," he told Cyclingnews.

"We decided after Catalunya, where I missed a key block of racing, that once I was healthy – which took a bit longer that would be ideal, but also was not super bad – we decided to add this just to try to have a bit more racing and another stage race. It was unfortunate with Catalunya, in the end it was one week off the bike, but it could be worse."

Geoghegan Hart explained how the illness disrupted an otherwise well-executed winter preparation.

"It's good to adjust, certainly the first part went all to plan and the winter was super good, and it was just unfortunate timing to have this stomach bug twenty four hours before Catalunya. I still tried to race, and in the end it was not possible," he said.

With Liège-Bastogne-Liège originally on his schedule, the shift to the Alps was made to regain valuable racing days.

"It's not a big change now, I was originally hoping to do Liège, so it's just a few days extra racing and then I will go from here almost directly to Romandie. So we'll have a nice block now before we enter a big team camp in May."

Given his past success at the Tour of the Alps, including podium finishes and four stage wins, the race provides a meaningful setting for his return. During a time where British cycling is going through a transitionary period, it would be great to see Geoghegan Hart back to his very best form.

"When there was a chance I do one day in the Ardennes or five days here, it's better to have these five days of load, also looking at the bigger picture," he explained.

"For me in the end, all of my good results in my career came from stage racing, so it's good to be back here. I have two super nice memories of this race before, I was two times on the podium and also four stage wins."

The 2023 edition of the Tour of the Alps was, in fact, the last time Geoghegan Hart stood on the top step of a podium. Since crashing out of the Giro d’Italia with a serious leg injury that year, he has been steadily working his way back.

"For me, it's almost two years now that I try to have my best feeling again on the bike after that crash in the Giro with the leg and everything. It's been a long fight since then to have the sensations of before," he said.

"You're always trying to do the best that you can but it's clear that I haven't had the feeling that I had for example here two years ago in that period. It's been a lot of hard work and I'm happy with the level that I've reached at many moments this season so far in training, but of course I want to show it also in the race. It was unfortunate the setback a few weeks ago, but we'll see how the next weeks go and keep pushing."

As for expectations this week, the 30 year old is keeping things measured.

"Certainly I need to take it day by day," he admitted. "I don't really know exactly, to be honest [what he's expecting]. It's six, seven weeks at least since I last did a proper race, so it's not ideal, but sometimes that's how it goes. Training has been alright, not that that gives me a big expectation for this week, but if I can have a solid five days in the legs I think that will help me a lot moving forward."

Still, he’s excited to be back in the bunch and racing alongside a strong Lidl-Trek squad.

"In the end I'm super happy to be here with the team, look at today in the Ardennes, we are performing really well in a lot of races and here we have the defending champion, we have Cicco who's looking super good for the Giro. We have a strong team so hopefully we have again a nice week."