Terpstra training with Milram teammates

By Susan Westemeyer

Niki Terpstra of Team Milram is training again after recovering from two broken elbows suffered in Beijing during the Olympics. He joined his Milram teammates for the first team meeting, in Austria, earlier this month.

Terpstra, 24, was cycling with his Dutch track teammates from the Olympic Village to the finals of the team pursuit, when the rider in front of him quickly moved to avoid a police car. "I was unable to avoid it. I wanted to break my fall, landed on my arms and ended up breaking both elbows," he said in a press release.

Terpstra was taken to a local hospital and then flew home to the Netherlands for surgery. Operations on both arms left him helpless for a while. "Brushing my teeth, telephoning, and so on – I couldn't do any of those things alone. My girlfriend supported me wonderfully. I couldn't have done without her," Terpstra said.

He was back on the home trainer, working on his base training, as soon as possible. "I couldn't do anything more, but I couldn't just sit around and do nothing. ... Things are going much better and I can do real training again."

Team Manager Gerry van Gerwen told Cyclingnews that the team meeting went well. "The team for the coming season makes a good impression," Van Gerwen said. "At the team meeting, the chemistry was right between everyone from the start. I think that we can look forward to a young and sympathetic troupe, which will give its all."