Polish cyclist Kamil Małecki had a rocky start at Lotto Soudal due to a training accident that left him with a broken pelvis and collarbone. After spending two months in the hospital, Małecki is now at home, working on his recovery and comeback. In an interview, he discussed his progress, his successful 2020 season, and his goals for the future.
Reflecting on his unfortunate start at Lotto Soudal, Małecki said, “It is of course not the start of my time at Lotto Soudal I hoped for. After a short break, I crashed during one of my first training rides. It made me really sad as I was really looking forward to meeting the team for the first time at the medical screenings in December.”
Despite the setback, Małecki remained positive and motivated throughout his recovery process. He stated, “It was a big relief to finally be reunited with my family at home, where my recovery can now really start. I am happy with the progress I am making but as my pelvis hasn’t fully healed yet, it is still too soon to start training again.”
While recovering, Małecki has been focusing on small exercises and rehab with a physiotherapist. He shared, “I really hope that I can start training on the bike in March, but I have to await a scan to get the green light for that.”
Resting and recovering has been challenging for Małecki, as he is used to being an active and highly motivated athlete. He mentioned, “As a cyclist, it is difficult because you just want to go out and ride your bike. But at the moment, I am not that eager to go outside and risk anything, as there’s a lot of snow here in Poland during this time of the year.”
Looking back on his successful 2020 season, which included a 6th place overall at the Tour de Pologne and a 4th place finish at the end of stage sixteen in the Giro d’Italia, Małecki expressed his excitement for the upcoming seasons and his ambitions as a cyclist. He said, “Last season has been really good for me, actually one of the best in my career so far, and I hope the upcoming seasons will be even better. I am more of an allrounder, I prefer short and steep climbs and I am not slow at the finish either. Besides, I also love the Classics. When I raced in the U23 category, I took part in the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Gent-Wevelgem. I am also fond of one-week stage races like the Tour de Pologne and it would be fantastic to win my home race one day! Last year, I got a first taste of the Grand Tours and I learned that it really suits me. I would love to win a Grand Tour stage in the nearby future.”
As he looks ahead to his return to racing, Małecki is eager to support his teammates and continue his own development as a cyclist. He concluded, “I know that – when I return to racing – my shape won’t be the best, so I am eager to help my new teammates winning some races. Later, I hope to get some nice results myself. This year, it will be all about learning as much as I can from the more experienced riders and helping where possible. But first, let’s work for that full recovery! In any case, I will do everything to come back stronger than I was before.”
