When Israeli startup Nation announced last month that it had extended its contract with Andre Greipel by two years, it was greeted with some surprise.

However, the German sprinter will continue to race into his 40s and was interviewed by Cycling News on his way to a training camp in Belgium.

"First of all I have to say that I don't need anyone to tell me when to stop. But the fact that I had a good start to the season proves that I can still sprint."

Indeed, Greipel did not win a race early in the 2020 season, but he was buoyed by two top-five finishes at the Tour Down Under, and he regained his passion after a disastrous year at Alcare Samsic.

But when he returned to Europe in February, a training crash left him with a broken and dislocated shoulder, and a season interruption due to a coronavirus pandemic stopped him in his tracks. He was left with a feeling of unfinished business.

"After the accident, and with the coronavirus blockade, everything stopped, and after a couple of weeks I thought, 'Come on, Andre, this is your childhood dream,'" he explained. [Because] nobody knew at that point if I would be able to race again this year because of the coronavirus. I wanted to stop with my number on my back."

The announcement of Israel Start-Up Nation's contract extension referred to Greipel's "experience" and the fact that he is "a great mentor to young athletes."

But it appears that he is not stepping down to enjoy a quiet life as a support act in the final chapter of his career; the competitive spirit that has brought him over 150 wins has not lost its luster, and he is still racing to add to that number.

"The power meter readings are the same as they were five or six years ago. I don't think I'm going down. I still want to win bike races. My trait is that I'm competitive. I still like to suffer in training." Of course, the new sprint generation is super fast, so everything needs to be 100% if you want to win races."

After continued rehabilitation, Greipel, who says his shoulder is "almost back to perfect," will resume his season at the Tour de l'Ain on August 7-9, followed the following week by the Criterium du Dauphiné.

The schedule is not yet concrete, but is likely to lead to the start of the Tour de France in Nice on August 29.

"I'm doing the French program because I hope to stay in the Tour selection," Greipel said.

"I haven't set any specific goals for any particular race. I just want to enjoy the race."

Greipel will extend his career until 2021, when he will race alongside Chris Froome, whose move from Team Ineos was announced last week. Greipel has been rumored to move into directing after his retirement, and the signing of four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome is a statement of intent.

"Honestly, it shows how ambitious the team is to sign a player like Chris Froome.

"They want to step it up and be competitive at the highest level on all terrains. It's also really positive in terms of potential sponsors."