John Degenkolb targeting a return to racing in 'the next eight to 10 weeks'

John Degenkolb has marked the month of May in his calendar as his potential return to racing after a head-on collision with a car in January left him with a broken arm and severed finger.

Despite the lengthy layoff and severe injuries, Degenkolb is confident he will return to the level he was at before the crash, which saw him win both Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix in 2015.

With the Tour de France still several months away in July, the Giant-Alpecin sprinter is targeting something that has so far eluded him in his career - a stage win in the Grand Boucle.

"We can't promise anything at the moment, but if the training goes well, I will probably be able to race again in the next 8 to 10 weeks," Degenkolb said at a press conference in Germany.

"I am eager to be back on my bike as quick as possible. From now, the Tour de France is still three and a half months away and it will be my main target to win a stage there. I believe that I can reach the same level again I had before the accident."

Degenkolb and five other teammates were involved in the crash, when a car, driven by a British driver on the wrong side of the road, hit them head on in Calpe, Spain.

While Frederik Ludvigsson and Ramon Sinkeldam have returned to racing, Degenkolb, Warren Barguil, Chad Haga and Max Walscheid still remain sidelined.

But the incident hasn't dampened Degenkolb's love of racing, with the German revealing that he is starting training again this week.

"The accident was a big shock and I will still need time to recover. At the moment, I am feeling okay and the rehabilitation is going really well. I am very motivated in racing again and I will start my training this week," he said.

"I would like to thank my family and my team for their great support in these difficult times. As you all know, I am a very active person and I was happy that I could count on them in this situation."