Worlds starter returns to racing at Belgian Classic after two-week injury pause

Dortmund, 2. September 2010. MILRAM Allrounder Christian Knees returns to racing two weeks after his serious crash. The reigning German national champion, who will represent MILRAM at the World Championships in Melbourne, Australia, will be at the start of the Grand Prix Jef Scherens (September 5 / UCI 1.1) on Sunday.

„On Tuesday, my stitches were pulled and my face looks normal again. What remains are the usual results of a crash. The scrapes are not totally healed and my shoulder hurts. But fortunately it doesn’t bother me on the bike. The main thing is that my legs are good and I could train well,“ said Knees, who received 15 stitches around his eye after a crash in the Eneco Tour.

He will be accompanied at his comeback by a powerful MILRAM squad. In addition to MILRAM sprinter Gerald Ciolek, riders Wim De Vocht, Dominik Nerz, Matthias Russ, Luke Roberts, Thomas Rorhegger and Fabian Wegmann will be at the start. Wegmann last year made his return to racing in the GP and was best MILRAM finisher in ninth place behind winner Sebastian Langeveld.

Four so-called „hellinge“ face the riders on each lap of the 14.1 kilometer circuit course in the GP Jef Scherens. The short, steep climbs Keizersberg, Lüdenscheidsingel, Winipersstraat and Naamsevest must be crossed 13 times and especially in the final lap offer the change for a decisive move before the winner crosses the finsh line after 183.3 kilometers.
The traditional one-day race has been carried out since 1963 in Leueven, about 20 kilometers east of Brüssels. Two Germans have won the race, Marcel Sieberg in 2006 and Andres Klier in 2002.

The Team MILRAM line-up at GP Jeff Scherens: Gerald Ciolek (GER, Kreuzlingen, SUI), Wim De Vocht (BEL/Turnhout), Christian Knees (GER/Euskirchen), Dominik Nerz (GER/Wangen), Matthias Russ (GER/Bad Cannstadt), Luke Roberts (AUS/Kerpen,GER), Thomas Rohregger (AUT/Kramsach), Fabian Wegmann (GER/Freiburg im Breisgau)
Directeur Sportif: Christian Henn (GER)