Mathias Frank was going into the 2014 Tour de France as a top 10 candidate but he had to leave the race with a broken femur. Next year he will focus fully on the French race where he wants to finish in the top 10.
Back from a season that was cut short by his heavy crash in the Tour de France which left him with a broken femur, Mathias Frank is finally back in training at his full capacity.
The 27-year-old talked to Velohuman to update on his condition. "I cannot feel anything in the femur. I have no pain. There was a bit of imbalance in the last test I did so I'm still working with the physiotherapist but I'm sure I'll be back to 100% very soon," he said in a telephone interview last week.
Looking back at the 2014 season, Frank is very pleased with his performances in the spring.
"Normally I always need a little more time to get in shape. This year I was really happy to have a good start with the Critérium [International] and from then on, I raced well all spring. So it was my best first part of the season."
Now with IAM after several years at BMC, Frank does "not feel pressure from the team." Again his main goal is the Tour de France which he didn't manage to finish in his first two appearances in 2010 and 2014.
"After two bad experiences, the third one should be fine. We really believe in it and that's how I see it. I have had two bad crashes in my career and both have been in the Tour de France. Surely it's sad but it could happen anywhere. I just have to try again and eventually I'll be fine."
If IAM receives a WorldTour license, Frank describes it as "a huge challenge" but he is certain that the team is ready after last year's experiences.
In 2015, Frank will focus "everything on the Tour" with the aim to "finish in the top 10" although he has not yet finalized his schedule. Nonetheless, he confirms that he will definitely ride less than he did in 2014 and makes it clear that what really matters is his performance in La Grande Boucle.
Max JUDELSON 37 years | today |
Nicolas FRANCESCONI 35 years | today |
Pau MARTI 20 years | today |
Gonzalo ARIÑO 25 years | today |
Long JIN 41 years | today |
© CyclingQuotes.com