French time trial champion still up for Tour participation
France's Jean-Christophe Peraud begins his 48.5km time trial. (Image credit: Patrick Pichon)
Jean-Christophe Péraud is recovering well from the injuries and illnesses he contracted in the Critérium du Dauphiné last week. The Omega Pharma-Lotto rider crashed twice in the event and moreover suffered from a stomach bug, for which he was hospitalised after abandoning after stage three.
On Wednesday, Péraud was released from the Lyon clinic as his intestinal infection and crash wounds were healed. The 2009 French time trial champion will now resume training in view of the Tour de France. "The illness was strong but well-contained. All my values are back to normal," Péraud told L'Equipe. "Of course, I will not force things during the first days of training, as the most important thing now is to save my place for the Tour. The start is only in two and a half weeks and I really hope to be there."
It would be the Frenchman's first participation in his home Grand Tour. The 33-year-old nevertheless will not defend his title at the national time trial championships on June 24 in Chantonnay. Péraud, a former mountainbiker, switched to the road with Omega Pharma-Lotto this year.
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