After a crash ahead of the Tour Down Under where he fractured his collarbone, Team Europcar leader Thomas Voeckler is back on the roads. For now, it's only for training, but the gritty Frenchman could return to competition earlier than first thought.

A few days ago it was reported that Voeckler would ride the Volta ao Algarve, but at a media event earlier this week the rider has now opened up for the possibility of returning even earlier than that.

“If the bone has set – that takes six weeks in theory – I will return at the Tour Méditerranéen. But I won’t be riding at the head of the peloton, doing crazy descents or giving the team a hand,” Voeckler told L'Equipe. The decision will be made on Friday after an appointment with the rider's surgeon.

While still down to ride Paris-Nice, he will not be competitive at the 'Race to the Sun', and will turn his focus to the Tour de France: “I will have to wait until May to be competitive, or in mid-April at Amstel. But I’m not sure whether I will just be good or good enough to be with the best.”

Voeckler wouldn't say anything definite on a possible start at the Vuelta a España, commenting that the race was too far away for that to be decided now.