Qatar_Backstedt This weekend, Swedish champion Magnus Backstedt will further enhance his reputation as one of the tough guys of the sport when he heads to Gaiole, Italy on Saturday, March 8 to compete in the gnarly, one-day Monte Paschi Eroica only five weeks after breaking his right clavicle in Qatar.

“I have come back pretty quickly,” said Maggy “I had a great training camp in Girona with the guys. How Mike Friedman went in Het Volk showed how hard I worked them. In terms of power, the numbers are all there. I’m coming back for Eroica on March 8 and then will do Tirreno-Adriatico.”

When asked about his thoughts on Italy’s version of his own favorite Paris-Roubaix, Maggy said, “I’m not sure what to expect to be honest. But I will say you shouldn’t expect a ‘heroic’ ride from me! I just have to ease back into it and get myself used to jumping around again. Paris-Roubaix is my number one goal and I am back on target.”

Backstedt heads to Belgium this week for “Cobble Camp” and some testing on the Roubaix cobbles with his Slipstream teammates, before traveling to Italy for the weekend.