15 months after Alvaro Hodeg was told by a doctor he was facing the prospect of never being able to walk again, the Colombian sprinter is back in competition.
The 26-year-old had already racked up 15 victories as a pro, including the Bredene Koksijde Classic and stages in the Tour de Pologne and Volta a Catalunya when he was hit by a car while training in Colombia in December 2021.
With one leg so badly damaged doctors were initially pessimistic about his chances of being mobile again, let alone riding a bike, as well as major injuries to wrists, one knee and one shoulder, Hodeg needed 12 operations to recover fully.
He suffered an infection during his recovery that left him unable to eat independently, but battled on all the same.
But in November 2022 he began riding his bike again, and was recently seen out training with Medellín-EPM professional Miguel Angel López. 15 months after his accident, Hodeg can finally race with UAE Team Emirates, the team he had signed for just before the training crash happened.
Hodeg posted a message on Instagram to express his delight at returning to racing, 18 months after his last event, the Sparkassen Munster Giro in October 2021, with his previous team, Deceuninck-QuickStep.
“I can only say faith moves mountains,” Hodeg said. “Never let anybody tell you you can’t do anything.
“After a year and a half, here we go again, and I’m like a kid in his first race, with a lot of hopes and dreams. As a great hero [of mine] once said, “where there’s a will there’s a way.
“From tomorrow I’m starting my first race with the team that’s been with me all the way - thankyou UAE Team Emirates, this is just beginning.”
Other sprinters taking part include Elia Viviani, riding with the Italian national team, and Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan), who recently clinched third place at Scheldeprijs.
Racing in the 2.1 day event kicks off on Tuesday with an uphill finish at Agrigento, where Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates) won on the 2020 Giro d'Italia. Stage 2 to Vittoria and possibly stage 3 to Termini Imerese are the most likely options for the sprinters in the Giro di Sicilia, while stage 4, which includes an ascent to Etna en route to a finish in Giarre, is the most decisive day for the overall.
Defending champion Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) is one top favourite for the GC, with Louis Meintjes (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), third last year, also in the running.
