Rotorua's Julian Dean isn't ruling himself out of anything yet.
Speaking to The Daily Post from his hospital bed in Valencia, preparing for surgery on a broken leg after crashing in his comeback event for GreenEdge, the 37-year-old said his recuperation would be a step by step process.
It's not the first time the veteran of 14 pro seasons has had to fight his way back from injury.
He had just returned to racing after breaking his shoulder in a training accident in Australia in December and is now back in the capable hands of the surgeon who repaired his elbow back in 2005.
He was in a positive mood ahead of surgery today, enjoying a "last meal" while awaiting the results of an MRI done to check if there is any soft tissue damage.
Now riding for fledgling Australia-based team GreenEdge, Dean crashed into a parked car swerving to avoid a multi-rider pile-up during the third stage of the Volta Ciclista Catalunya in wet conditions on Wednesday night (NZ time).
It was a huge blow for his team, which is leading the event.
Dean admitted the ambulance trip from the Pyrenees to Valencia, Spain, where he is based, was an emotional ride and he couldn't help but contemplate whether this latest injury could spell the end of his career. However, he wasn't ready to give up on anything at this stage, he said.
"I want to keep going ... a big part of me doesn't want it to end this way but you can't make any rash decisions now. We have to take it step by step."
Dean was said to be pretty much guaranteed a place in the New Zealand team for this year's London Olympics, which would be his fifth. Considered one of the best lead-out riders in the world, Dean was also looking forward to his eighth Tour de France.
He's not giving up on any of that right now and is already mentally preparing for his recovery which he said would be divided up into "little sections".
"Right now we're in the process of determining how severe the injury is, after the operation we can start to approach the rehabilitation process.
"I'm with one of the top surgeons in Spain, he's internationally renowned ... so I'm in very, very good hands and have complete confidence in him."
The surgeon had not discounted the possibility he could be ready in time for the Tour de France if all went well, Dean said.
"As it's the leg though, if it's immobilised for a long time atrophy sets in so [rehabilitation] can take a while ... we just have to see how it goes."
Dean's wife, Carole, said she was incredulous when told about the crash.
"Julian had just got back on track ... I couldn't believe it could happen again but it could've been worse, that's for sure."
She said a person would have to be "a complete optimist" to think Dean could be at the start line of this year's Tour de France but if anyone could do it, it was her "tenacious" husband.
"To get through rehab you have to have a goal and one that's not too far away, that's how Julian's always got through in the past. He gives himself a tough goal but not an impossible one and pushes himself through."
She said the family were getting "incredible support" from the folk in the village of Palma de Gandia where they live with their sons, 6-year-old Tanner and 3-year-old Val.
"It's been incredibly humbling ... we have a lot of support and anything is possible when you have great support."
Dean won a bronze medal on the track at the 1994 Commonwealth Games and competed at Atlanta in the teams pursuit but switched to the road for the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics.
BikeNZ high performance director Mark Elliott said Dean was "a consummate professional" who, despite a number of significant injuries, kept coming back. "It will be up to him to decide where he's going but don't be surprised to see Julian Dean back."
Fellow Rotorua pro rider Sam Bewley tweeted: "Heart sunk as I just read a tweet that Julian Dean has broken his leg. Too many bad things happen to too many good guys! All the best Jules!"