# Kamil Małecki: Rising Resilience at Lotto Soudal
In our latest installment of ‘Meet the Lotto Soudal youngsters,’ we shine a spotlight on Polish cyclist Kamil Małecki. His journey into the Lotto Soudal team has been anything but typical, marred by an unfortunate crash during a training ride last November, which resulted in a broken pelvis and collarbone. After spending two months hospitalized, the 25-year-old has recently returned home to continue his recovery and train for his comeback. We spoke with Kamil to discuss his path to rehabilitation, his impressive 2020 season, and his aspirations for the future at Lotto Soudal.
“It is of course not the start of my time at Lotto Soudal I hoped for,” Kamil reflects. “After a short break, I started training again in November but unfortunately, 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 serious nature of his injuries and a 60-day hospital stay, Kamil has maintained a hopeful outlook and motivation for the lengthy healing journey ahead. “It was a big relief to finally be reunited with my family at home, where my recovery can now really start,” he shares. “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. At the moment, I am not allowed to apply any force to the legs, so I am still limited to some small exercises. Recently, I have also started my rehab with a physiotherapist, so I think I am well on my way to total recovery. My collarbone has healed really well, and I don’t feel too much pain anymore. 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 from a broken pelvis is no easy feat, especially for a highly motivated professional athlete. “At the hospital, I had so much time on my hands. So, I decided to make good use of it as I tried to improve my English and, of course, there’s always Netflix to help you pass the time. At home, I spend most of the time doing things that would normally take only minutes. Small things like going to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee are now taking ages. 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,” Kamil explains.
Before his injury, Małecki made his mark in the cycling world with a 6th place overall finish at the Tour de Pologne and a strong debut at the Giro d’Italia, where he achieved a remarkable 4th place at the end of stage sixteen. “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 (Kamil finished 4th in 2018) 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.”
Expressing his eagerness to contribute to the team, Kamil states, “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.”
With his resilient spirit, Kamil Małecki is poised to thrive as he embarks on his journey back to the cycling world.
