Ben’s hopes alive

BEN Swift has vowed that his 2012 London Olympics hopes are still alive.

The 24-year-old, who crashed out of the Giro d’Italia before it had even began, spoke to the Guardian last week ahead of a meeting with his surgeon, to assess the damage done in his crash.

Swift returned from Denmark, where he landed on his shoulder and dislocated it, and was almost straight back into training on the turbo static bike.

He told the Guardian: “I only missed two days training, I’ve been back on the bike and I’m hoping to get back racing.”

“I was disappointed about missing the Giro and then I started to think about the Olympics but I’m not too worried at the moment, if I can race next week in Norway I will be back in the programme that was plan B for me – so it’s not over yet.”

And his trip to the surgeon at the end of last week yielded some good news.

Posting on his website Team Sky Swift said: “After meeting with the surgeon earlier this afternoon, I have been given the all clear to return to racing.”

“I have a tear in my cartilage in my right shoulder which is the same injury I had due to my crash in the 2006 Tour of Britain.”

“Dr Potter is happy for me to return and is happy to delay any surgery until the off season, just as long as it does not cause too many problems whilst I am racing.”

The news allowed Swift to travel to Scandanavia this week for the Tour of Norway, which began on Wednesday.

He added: “I am super excited to get back to racing and can’t wait to get stuck in.”

“I have been putting in a lot of hard work on the turbo and the treadmill so I am hoping that I will not be too far off where I was before the Giro.”

“I am not sure what to expect in Norway but I will be there to have a good week and do some good work for the team.”

“After Norway I will be heading to Girona for some great training with my friend and team mate CJ Sutton.”

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