'It's been an incredibly hard few months' – Dutch sprinter returns to racing following the death of his father and a traumatic training assault

Dutch sprinter Arvid De Kleijn is making a much-anticipated return to racing at Sunday’s Rund um Köln, marking his first competitive outing since last October. The Tudor Pro Cycling rider has faced a challenging period away from the sport, having lost his father to cancer in February and endured a violent assault during training. These personal hardships, combined with a difficult birth for his wife and a lingering shoulder injury, have kept him off the bike for several months. De Kleijn’s father had been battling cancer for some time, and the final stages were particularly tough for the family. The sprinter revealed that he had considered withdrawing from early-season races to be close to his father, who passed away suddenly in February. Despite the sorrow, De Kleijn described the family’s farewell as peaceful, allowing them to cherish their final moments together. Meanwhile, the arrival of his daughter Fye in January brought some joy amid the difficulties, although her birth was complicated and required De Kleijn to put family duties ahead of training commitments. Just as De Kleijn was preparing to resume racing at the Scheldeprijs in April, he was attacked by a group of teenagers during a training ride. The assailants hurled abusive language, including a deeply personal insult referencing cancer, before physically assaulting him and breaking his nose. The incident left De Kleijn shaken and forced him to withdraw from the race. Authorities arrested nine of the attackers, but the individual responsible for the injury remains at large, with legal proceedings expected to be protracted. Despite these setbacks, De Kleijn is determined to move forward and focus on his career. He has fully recovered from a shoulder injury sustained at last year’s UAE Tour and feels physically and mentally ready to compete again. Looking ahead, he plans to race at the 4 Jours de Dunkerque and several Belgian semi-Classics, with ambitions to return to winning ways. De Kleijn expressed gratitude for the support he has received and is motivated to perform for himself, his team, and those who stood by him during this difficult chapter.