Lawrence De Plus revealed how isolated he was from his cycling peers and the sport for much of 2021 as he waited for his body to recover from fatigue and a viral infection and quietly hoped to return to racing in the Ineos Grenadiers.

The 26-year-old impressed in 2019 with Jumbo-Visma, winning the Binkbank Tour and proving to be an important mountain domestique in the Tour de France when Steven Kruijswijk finished third overall. However, problems continued to plague him in the 2020 season when the schedule was changed, and in April at Ituria-Basque it became clear that he was not feeling well, and he finished the 2021 campaign struggling with training and recovery.

De Plus returned to planned training on September 1 and is currently participating in the Ineos Grenadiers year-end training camp with his teammates. Although he has always had support from the team, according to a video interview with Belgian media, he chose to isolate himself and lead a quiet life for the first few months of 2021 to allow his body to recover.

"I had to completely reset and rest. I had to rest," he said, according to "De Morgen" (opens in new tab).

"I went back to my parents, found a warm nest, and got back to basics. I kept in touch only with my team, my parents, and a few friends."

"I was in touch with my parents, my parents, and a few friends," he said.

"I didn't reply to any messages. What was there to say? I hope people aren't mad at me. I'm not usually like that, but I've been alone for a while and sometimes you have to be selfish."

De Plus suffered watching the 2021 racing season unfold without him, but as he recovered from his viral infection, he still wanted to race.

"I realized I really like racing. I wouldn't complain if it rained now," he said.

"If I could give one piece of advice to young athletes, it would be to not always live at 110% effort. Of course you can't cut corners as a top athlete, but you can also ask too much of yourself. Find a good balance."

De Plus, who is under contract with Ineos until the 2023 season, said he is happy to be back in Mallorca with his Ineos Grenadiers teammates.

"It's good to be with everyone again. The last few months have been really lonely. Fortunately, the team was looking at the long term." In the end, a career lasts longer than a season. The team didn't put pressure on me. They gave me time. Even Big Boss [Dave Brailsford] texted me and told me not to worry."

"I pulled the plug completely because there was no point in rushing any further. Why rush when only rest and time would be beneficial' It turned out to be the right strategy."

De Plus was known to be particularly slim and focused on his bike. After the rest he is still carrying extra weight, but is not worried as his recovery and return to racing is very gradual.

"I've always been known to watch my diet and stay thin. That's why I gained weight. Maybe I've used up a little too much of my reserves in the last few years. It wouldn't hurt to eat a little more," he suggested.

"I'm going to resume slowly, step by step. Instead of immediately going out for big races, I'm going to join a light racing program. I hope to be back on my feet by summer."

"Goals and ambitions for 2022" I certainly have them, but I'm keeping them secret. I want to play consistently again. I don't want to be too ambitious.

"I am convinced that I have come out of that bad period stronger. But I don't have high expectations at the moment. I always strive to have a carefree year. And I'm going to try to keep a low profile. That's what's best for me."