Last month Dekker had to leave the Rabobank training camp after the pain came back. The problems were caused because his hip wasn't at exactly the right place. Dekker's hip was put on the right spot now and as a consequence his muscles were stretched. The problems are now over but the fear that the problems might return is still there.

To avoid that Dekker is doing a lot of special excersises. Dekker is riding a lot of kilometres at home in Monaco and is also able to train in the mountains again.

At the moment Dekker is training to make this muscles stronger. It seems that it will al work out well. The original planning was to start the season at a new Italian stage race, the Giro di Grosseto. To give Dekker's hip more time to recover this has changed and now Dekker will start his season with the hilly one day race Trofeo Laigueglia at February 23. Thomas Dekker said on his personal website tdmagazine.nl: "The Trofeo Laigueglia is a nice race to start with."

Three days later Dekker will start at the Vuelta a Valenciana (February 26 - March 1) and after that he will race the Vuelta a Murcia (March 4 - March 8). Dekker had a lot of problems with hip on his time trial bike in the past two years, but the Dutch rider thinks it won't be a problem anymore: "At the time trials I will just start and then w'll see."

Last year Dekker won his first race at February 13, the Trofeo Pollenca. This season there probebly won't be an early win. Dekker said: "Everybody has to be patient because there won't be any good results in the first two months. I hope to be ready in April." One of his main goals are the Ardennes classics: Amstel Gold Race, Fleche Wallonne and Liège - Bastogne - Liège.

Dekker hopes that the cycling fans will see a beautiful 2008 season: "I hope that the problems in cycling are finally behind us. The fans should enjoy the beautiful sport of cycling again."