Peter Kennaugh is relishing the prospect of getting back in the saddle at the Tour de Romandie after almost two months on the sidelines with a broken collarbone.

The 20-year-old did the damage at the Strade Bianche Eroica on 6 March after colliding with another rider who had slid out in front of him on one of the route's many treacherous descents.

The injury required a metal plate and six screws to be inserted into Kennaugh's shoulder, and after being discharged from hospital in Siena he was forced to return home to the Isle of Man for a fortnight's rest and recuperation before flying over to Manchester to begin his long road to recovery.

When we caught up with the neo-pro at the team's hotel in Switzerland he was happy to report a clean bill of health before filling us in on his time spent out of action.

He said: "Picking up the injury was obviously a big blow because I'd just started to settle into the season and the next race after the Eroica - the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya - would have been a big one for me. It was just one of those things though which I couldn't do anything about.

"This is actually the second time I've broken my collarbone. The first time was about three years ago when I was a junior, racing on the track. It broke in exactly the same place and I've since learned it didn't heal properly last time.

"I didn't have any plates put in it back then but this time I've got one right across the top of the break.

"In the last month or so I've been doing a lot of work with the team's physios in Manchester and I've also been training with Max Sciandri nearly every day back at my base in Italy.

"Ben Swift has been out riding with us a lot as he's just come back from a period on the track, so that's worked out pretty well because he's getting himself back up to speed like me.

"I'm happy with the way things are looking. My shoulder still stiffens up a little bit every now and then, especially on the longer descents where I'm not moving it that much, but I had an X-ray last week to confirm everything was healing properly - and it is - which is good news."

Raring to go

The variety of terrain on offer at the Tour de Romandie should suit Kennaugh's all-round ability, and while his main ambition is to make it through the week unscathed, he cannot wait to get back in the thick of the action.

"It's all well and good training, but eventually you just want to get racing," he added. "This week should be good as it will hopefully get me some good form and then I can move on, step up my programme, and continue to progress throughout the rest of the season.

"I'm not sure where I am in terms of my form and fitness yet so my aim is just to finish it and get a week's worth of racing under my belt. The Tour de Romandie has a bit of everything - hilly days, rolling days, and a short prologue - so it's the ideal race to return in."