Cyclingflash
Kaden Groves sidelined for two months: "We expect him back in the Giro d'Italia"

Kaden Groves sidelined for two months: "We expect him back in the Giro d'Italia"

Kaden Groves has been out since his withdrawal from Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne 2026 with Alpecin-Premier Tech, but the end of his struggle is in sight. Knee problems caused the strong sprinter to miss the entire spring season. However, he is on the mend, his team reveals in a fairly extensive medical update.

The 27-year-old Australian – one of the most sought-after riders in the transfer market due to his expiring contract – now seems to be free from the knee injury. Groves is currently completing a training camp at altitude, and his Belgian employer expects the speedy Aussie to return for the Giro d’Italia. There he is expected to contend for stage wins, which are almost guaranteed. So far in his career, Groves has started seven Grand Tours (finishing six of them), and in all but one – the 2023 Giro d’Italia – he won at least one stage in each of those races. In the Vuelta a España in 2023 and 2024, he even won three stages respectively and took the points classification both times.

Full infirmary
Last year, Groves also claimed a victory in the Tour de France, arriving solo in Pontarlier after joining the day's breakaway. So there is light at the end of the tunnel for the Australian, but unfortunately for Alpecin-Premier Tech, the infirmary is far from empty. Maurice Ballerstedt (saddle sore) has been unable to train since early March; Lindsay De Vylder broke his hip at Paris-Nice and will be out until early June; and Michael Gogl faces a similar prognosis after suffering a thigh muscle tear during the Tour of Flanders.

It doesn’t stop there, though the long-term injuries are not included. German sprinter Henri Uhlig broke his collarbone in the second stage of the Tour of Catalonia but has already resumed training. Alpecin-Premier Tech expects him back in May. And then there is Florian Sénéchal, who must withdraw from the Tour of Turkey due to illness. Depending on any symptoms he may still develop, it remains unclear when the Frenchman can return to racing.