Israeli Startup Nation sprinter Andre Greipel has fully recovered from a broken shoulder suffered in a training crash in early February and is increasing his training intensity in preparation for a return to racing. Meanwhile, Australian teammate Rory Sutherland broke his femur in an electric scooter accident at a team get-together in Tel Aviv, Israel, in December.

Greipel, 37, crashed while training near his hometown of Cologne, Germany, in early February after returning to Europe from the Tour Down Under and the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in Australia.

The 11-time Tour de France stage winner was able to train on the road again in early April and recently announced that he had signed a contract with the Israeli Startup Nation team for two more seasons.

"For the past four months I feel I still have motivation and have been working full time to recover from my injury," Greipel said in a Facebook live interview with the team.

"Ten days after the accident I was on rollers with one arm, and during the blockade of COVID-19 I was able to train a lot and earn base kilometers, and since April I've been training specifically, and I've been working on my training, and I've been working on my training for the last two weeks, and I'm still working on my training for the next two weeks. Now that the competition is right around the corner, it's easier to work towards specific goals," he explained.

Greipel's teammate Sutherland broke his leg when he fell on his electric scooter on his way back to his hotel after having dinner in Tel Aviv during a team training camp in December. Sutherland said in March that he was feeling more and more determined to get back to his best and said on the team's website Wednesday that he was close to achieving that goal.

"There were times when I was worried about getting back to my previous level," Sutherland admitted. Recovering from this injury was the hardest thing I've ever done in my sporting life."

Sutherland said that he was "very happy to be back on the field.

"It's only in the last couple of weeks that I've realized that all the patience and hard work has paid off. I honestly doubted if I would ever be strong enough to participate in a world tour again."

Sutherland said that the suspension of all competition due to the coronavirus outbreak worked to his advantage as he worked to recover from his injury.

"I was very lucky because I had the time and patience to do it right. The lack of racing allowed me to work with my Power Watts trainer, Paulo Saldanha, to do things right and build up slowly but constantly.

"I can race now, but with another month of training I will be able to move up to a competitive level. I feel like I'm running at 95 percent of my ability right now, and that's honestly amazing. I'm very happy that I'm almost ready to race again.

Sutherland also thanked his team for their support since his accident and said he was looking forward to his first race in the colors of the team he joined from UAE Team Emirates this season.

"Personally, I am excited to have my first race in the Israeli Startup Nation and I want to repay the team and (team owner) Sylvan Adams for all the help and support they have given me over the past six months," he said.

"I have received incredible support from the entire team. I think the rehabilitation process has helped me to appreciate racing and riding a bike even more."

The team also provided injury updates on Belgian Ben Hermans, who broke his collarbone and fractured his shoulder at the Tour Down Under in January, and Colombian climber Edwin Avila, who crashed at the Tour de Rwanda in February.

"It took me a long time to recover, but I've finished my last treatment and I'm training seriously again," Hermans said. I have almost 100% range of motion in my shoulder, and I don't have many problems during the race. The only difficulty I have is putting on my rain jacket on the climbs." [The 34-year-old added. I'm following my training program, my weight is good, and I'm ready for the Vuelta a Burgos as the first race of the new season. I'm fresh, energetic, and already in great shape."

Avila, a 30-year-old from Colombia, said: "I need to work a little harder to get back to full physical condition, but I am making progress. I'm looking forward to competing again, as it seems that bicycle racing is making a comeback around the world."

Young Israeli cyclist Ed Goldstein of the Israel Cycling Academy Continental Feeder Team, brother of Israeli Startup Nation rider Omer Goldstein, also broke his hand in training earlier this month and is He is on his way back.

"I can't ride outside yet, so I'm just getting back on the rollers," said the 20-year-old Goldstein, who said he hopes to be able to race again at the Tour de Savoie in France in early August.