Raisin out riding again

American Saul Raisin, who crashed badly in the Circuit de la Sarthe in April this year, and nearly died because of serious head injuries, has returned from the United States to his second home in Europe, Monaco. The Crédit Agricole rider is physically healed from his numerous injuries, and even rode up the Col de la Madone. "My aim is to come back to Europe for good in January, to do some intensive training sessions," Raisin told Belgian media. "We'll see how I stand then."

The 23 year-old wants to return to competition, but his doctors have told him that he should refrain from racing for at least another 12 to 18 months. "I can't take the risk of falling - a crash involving my head could have very serious consequences," said Raisin, who nevertheless trained a total of 28 hours last week. "There is no guarantee that I'm able and allowed to race again, but that is my goal."