As reported over the weekend, Total Direct Energy's Niki Terpstra was able to return home from the hospital from a training accident in the Netherlands a week ago. She suffered concussion, a collapsed lung, and broken collarbone and ribs.

"It's been a week since the nasty training accident. 'Thanks to timely assistance on the field and excellent care at the hospital, my first steps in recovery went well. On Sunday I was able to return home and recover in my own environment."

"I have been overwhelmed by the support I have received. Thanks to everyone who has encouraged me. It will be a great motivation for my rehabilitation," he wrote.

According to Total Direct Energy team physician Hubert Long, the rehabilitation is likely to last 10-12 weeks. He was transported by helicopter to the hospital and placed in intensive care.

This was Terpstra's third major accident in a little over a year: the 36-year-old suffered a severe concussion in a crash while defending his Belgian Classic title at the 2019 Tour of Flanders; five weeks later, he returned to competition at last May's 4 Jules de Dunkerque After doing so, Terpstra crashed on stage 11 of last year's Tour de France and broke his shoulder, again keeping him out of competition for five weeks before returning to racing at the Tour du Limousin in August.

Terpstra finished second to Lot Soudal's Jelle Wallez at the Paris-Tour at the end of last season, and in 2020, before the season was interrupted by a coronavirus outbreak, he finished eighth in the opening stage of the Tour of Saudi Arabia in February and at the end of He finished 33rd in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and had a full race program before competing in Paris-Nice.