After a horrific crash at the U.S. Championships in 2014, Taylor Phinney has had difficult times due to a serious leg fracure. Now the BMC Racing rider is back in the peloton and he is hoping to be in his best condition this spring. The American wants to ride Paris-Roubaix. His presence would be a victory for him.

During his December training camp, he told Velonews: "I still want to do those races. I cannot say I will do this or that at Roubaix. I have a different mentality toward racing, toward what I am capable of doing.

"[Roubaix] is the only real race on my schedule right now. The only race I had on my schedule last year was worlds, and that went pretty well … That was in September, and I’ve had a fair amount of time for rehab and strengthening on my left side."

Phinney made his comeback at the end of the last season and rode the UCI Road World Championships held in September in Richmond. He finished 12th place in the individual time trial. Thank to this performance, his nation will have at least one spotmat the ITT at the Olympics.

His schedule has not been finalized yet. He will be back in France in February for the three-day Cycliste International La Provence (February 23-25). Then he is likely to be at the start of race Strade Bianche and Tirreno-Adriatico. If he is in a good condition, he will ride the spring classics : Milano-Sanremo, E3 Prijs Harelbeke, Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) and probably Paris-Roubaix.

"If anything has changed, it’s the buildup to my races. I cannot overload my left leg. I love the process of building into the season. Last year, I started training in February and didn’t race until August, and that buildup was great for me. I came into Utah and Colorado with a high level even though I was fighting with the imbalance and pain."