Reus returns to racing

By Susan Westemeyer

The headlines these days belong to the comeback of Lance Armstrong, but over in the Tour of Missouri another rider is celebrating a lower-key comeback from a life-threatening crash. Team Rabobank's Kai Reus is racing again for the first time in 15 months in the Tour of Missouri, after recovering from head injuries suffered last year.

"Kai finished the first two stages in the bunch, without problems," Team Rabobank spokesman Luuc Eisenga told Cyclingnews. As to the the 23 year-old Dutchman's future, he said, "Everything will depend on how he is feeling. We will take it race by race."

Reus crashed while training in July 2007. He was not wearing a helmet and suffered head wounds serious enough to place him in an induced coma for 12 days.

The team continued to support Reus during his convalescence. Last month, Reus said he hoped to return to racing after training this summer with the Rabobank Continental team.