Sergio Luis Henao is still using crutches but his progression is evident. Now he even spends time on the rollers which is a small victory and an important step towards full recovery from the knee injury he suffered on June 20 in Switzerland. The Colombian Sky rider has returned to Colombia to complete his rehabilitation at home and hopes to be back in action in 2015.

Slowly but surely. That's the motto of Henao after his operation in Pamplone where his patella on the right knee was successfully restored. Every day he does a doubles session at the Indeportes Antioquia facilities in Medellin.

"I feel good and am recovering and working on my injury in Colombia. I feel better every day and have strengthened the leg. I am even on the rollers for an hour every day. Everyhting goes a splanned. The team physios in London have given me the nod to confirm that everything is well and that I can continue my rehabilitation in Colombia. That's important. They have supported me one hundred percent," Henao says according to Biciciclismo.

Henao is doing a lot of work but he is still not riding his bike.

"We have started to increase the volume of the muscle, give strength to the patella and get more movement and flexibility. The goal is clear: to pedal normally on the bike," he said.

In 2014, the Colombian only did 15 days of competition. First he was taken off the roster by Team Sky to prove that his abnormal blood values stem from the fact that he is a high-altitude native, and later he suffered a serious crash while preparing for the time trial at the Tour de Suisse after having shown good form despite not having done any racing for four months.

"I have the desire and enthusiasm to compete again. This year I have almost not done any racing due to different circumstances. It was important for me to get back to racing in Switzerland. Then the crash could have been worse and I feel lucky. Most of all I want to train and live a normal life. Now I have to opportunity to continue my recovery so that I can get gat back on my bike," he says.

"It has been a tough year to forget but I can also learn a lot from it. You can always take good things into the future from bad experiences. The past is the past and now I think about the present and what the future may hold for me. I think there's a lot in store," he adds.

Henao is now looking forwayds.

"Being able to compete again is what gives me the moral and motivation to continue my work. My girlfriend and my family have supported me, and my team has never been lacking in support. They have helped me in both my difficult situations. Every day I get a little closer to my return to competition and to a normal life and that makes me strong and focused," he says.

"Every day that passes is one day lee and I can see that my leg progresses. The mere fact that I can do an hour on the roller means a lot because it makes me feel like a rider. To see that I could ride was a turning point and gave me an added bonus to keep working hard," Henao adds.

Henao has just finished his third season at Sky. In 2014 he was set to make his Tour de France debut alongside Chris Froome after having shown his qualities during his first two years at the elite level. In 2013, he won a stage of the Volta ao Algarve and one in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. He finished third in the latter race and shone in the Ardennes, finishing second in Fleche Wallonne and sixth at the Amstel Gold Race. He was 16th in the Giro, 28th in the Vuelta and 15th in the Worlds road race. In 2012, he debuted in the Giro (9th) and Vuelta(14th), was second in the Vuelta a Burgos, third in the Tour of Poland and fifth in Il Lombardia, despite riding his first year among the pros.