Lotto-Soudal is currently training in Mallorca. Doctor team Servaes Binge could share good news about Stig Broeckx. The rider who suffered life-threatening injuries in the Belgium Toir, is no longer in a coma and his recovery has progressed well, albeit slowly. "He is learning to swallow independently and spoke a few small words for the first time," Bingé told Sporza.

At the Flandrien Gala, Soudal Lotto manager Marc Sergeant revealed that Stig Broeckx responded to stimuli. Since then, the rider has taken a step further.

"Stig is officially out of a coma. A comatose state is described as a rating of ten (of ten). He is out of a (vegetative) coma and has even gained back some muscular strength. He is no longer a coma patient,” said team doctor Servaes Binge.

"Stig is still not a healthy boy but the progress has been positive. He sleeps a lot, but that's because he is working very hard: Sitting in a wheelchair, and he will even cycle on a sort of stair machine.

"Where the progress will lead, the doctors will not yet say. But on the other hand, this is already much more than anyone could have imagined a while back. Everything will obviously take a lot of time."

"He is learning to swallow independently and spoke a few small words like ‘tomorrow’. That is encouraging and positive. The is especially communication with his family, all at a very low level, of course. He also recognizes other riders. That communication is again possible is positive. "