Slowly but surely I'm starting to feel better. Never before have I been as exhausted after a race as I was last Sunday following the ParisÂ-Roubaix. I didn't feel at all well after the race and doping tests and I was unwell and tired during the journey to the airport. But I am still happy with my race.

It showed me what I can achieve with immense willpower. I really overexerted myself. In the battle between my head and legs, my head proved to be much stronger than my legs.

The final 30 km were brutal. I couldn't even keep up with my team mate's rear wheel. When you have no power left on cobblestones, it's like being on the mountain: nothing happens.

Never before have I needed so long to recover after a race. It was completely different to last year, after the Tour de France or the Olympic Games for instance. At that time I was 100 percent fit and recovered much more quickly.

Now I'm suffering from nights where I've slept badly and days where I've felt listless and tired. I therefore made the conscious decision to stop training and spent some time with my family to make up for Easter. We went out and enjoyed the fine weather.

I would like to thank everyone who has kept their fingers crossed for me during what has been a difficult time. I will slowly regain my form and hope the second half of the season will be more successful. Yours, Fabian.