Trek-Segafredo reached out to Fabio Felline, who sustained a broken nose and fractured skull in a freak crash in the neutral start of Amstel Gold Race, and Fränk Schleck, who broke his collarbone in Flèche Wallonne, to find out how both riders are managing on their roads to recovery.

On May 2, Fabio Felline had a CT scan of his occipital condilus fracture. The exam showed a stabilization of the fracture and the neurosurgeon gave the authorization to undergo nose surgery the following day. At that time, Felline was also able to transfer from a hard neck cast to a soft cast.

Felline said: "I had a complicated operation on my nose last Tuesday that went very well and the doctor was happy with the results. Until then my respiration was not very good, the bones needed to be adjusted into a good position.

"On the 16th I will have another examination for nose, and also for the neck [fracture at the base of the skull].  If all is okay and everything continues to be stable, then maybe I can start on the rollers. So in one week I will know more. 

"I want to come back if possible this summer – July is what I hope, and I feel this is really possible. If I have good feedback in a week, then I will start back with some stationary training. 

"If I am honest, my head was very down with the infection I had over a month ago. But now I know that was just antibiotics – it really was not so bad. At the time, it seemed like the worse thing possible, but then when something like this happens… 

"First dealing with the infection for three weeks, and I was just starting to feel good again after that, and now this. It was very hard for me at first. Sometimes I ask myself why all these bad things have to happen in one period. But this is the life – everything does not always happen the way you want; it's not perfect. A lot of people are saying to me when I will come back I will be stronger. And now I understand what they mean: You pass through these difficult times and it makes you mentally stronger."

Six years ago Fränk Schleck crashed on the cobblestone stage of the 2010 Tour de France and severely broke his left collarbone that required surgical insertion of a plate and six screws. Fast forward to April 20, 2016 and Schleck mirrored that injury – this time his right collarbone fractured in three places and required surgery with a plate and 10 screws. 

Schleck said: "I was extremely disappointed to miss Liège–Bastogne–Liège, it is the biggest one-day race, La Doyenne, the oldest, and it's close to my home country. It's 260 km of hard racing, all-in, with no hiding and I am always motivated and do well in that race. 

"The crash in Fleche was really hard mentally as well as physically. My first crash this season was in Paris-Nice and it was bad as well, but fortunately it was more just road rash. I thought I would have had my part of crashing for the first part of the season but cycling is like a rollercoaster, or like a box of chocolates like Forest Gump said: you never know what you get. The crash in Fleche broke my collarbone in three pieces, and splits of the bone had to be removed so there is quite a bit of bone missing.

"Two weeks ago we did the surgery and fixed the collarbone with a plate and 10 screws. So in 5 to 7 days I will have more X-rays to see if the bone has made progress and started the calcification. It is still painful and I have not reached the full range of movement but I am back on the bike with training adapted to the pain. When I will start back to full training is too early to say. I am in contact with the team's medical staff and we'll know more after the next examination, but I am confident I will be back to full training soon. The cut from surgery is healing well.

"Anyway, if I can say one thing about myself it's that I am very hard on myself and I will not let this crash change anything of my passion and love of cycling. I am focused on the Tour de France and I want to get to the Tour in high shape - no excuses. The team can rely on me that we will do a great Tour.

"We have a good team together; everybody supports my healing. The boys and staff are texting me almost every day knowing that the 'big race' is proceeding and that means a lot to me. Crashes happen and knowing that I broke my left collarbone previously and now broke the right I can believe I am again symmetrical and in total balance again -  I'll be stronger when I come back!"