Cyclingheroes: How is your healing process going?

Saul Raisin: I am doing very well, I am doing everything the Doctors said "I would never do again". I am riding 20-30 hours a week and feeling very good. I still have some small thinking problems, but unless you were with me every day you would never notice them.. For example: I sometimes say things I would have never said before, out of character/.

Cyclingheroes: Do you feel confident on the bike?

Saul Raisin: I feel too confident. I feel really good, I scare my poor Dad to death because how good I feel .

Cyclingheroes: We heard you did 6 hours rides in September, how are things going at the moment (on the bike)?

Saul Raisin: Very good. I will have done 28 hours this week. I am nowhere near as strong as I would like to be, but I can not complain. To be able to ride a bike after what I have been through is already good enough.

Cyclingheroes: Did your team, Credit Agricole, support you?

Saul Raisin: Yes very much and they still do. My Team manager Roger Leageay came to visit me here in Georgia. I went to 2007 team pictures, and one good example is that after the last stage of the Tour de France Thor [Hushovd, Cyclingheroes] called me after he won. He Said "Saul we won today, I carried you across the line on my wrist, I had your bracelet on. I drink a glass of champagne in our name. Cheers." I have the best team in the World!

Cyclingheroes: How was it to see your teammates again after all you have been through?

Saul Raisin: Words can not express how I felt, I was riding next to Thor and he said: "So dreams do come true, I remember when you where in the Hospital you called me and said in a raspy voice, 'Thor I dream of the day I can ride next to you again - well today your dream came true'".

Cyclingheroes: We heard that you will write a book with author Dave Shields, can you tell us more about the book project?

Saul Raisin: The book is well under way. My objective with the book is to help people that have and are going through the same things my parents and I have gone through. Not everyone is as fortunate as me to have the support I have been given. I want to help people and give them courage.

Cyclingheroes: Can you tell us something more about the Saul Raisin "Raisin Hope" comeback ride which will take place on March 31?

Saul Raisin: Yes, I want to have a huge group ride to celebrate life and help support people with brain and spinal cord injury. I want people to know - no matter how bad it is, things always get better.

Cyclingheroes: We heard about the Raisin Hell bracelets and socks. Can you tell our readers more about it?

Saul Raisin: When I was in the ICU [intensive care unit] at Shepherd's Hospital  the nurses found their way to my website. They saw the picture's of my Rocket7's cycling shoes with "Raisin Hell" on the side. They said if Lance could have yellow livestrong bracelets I could have my own bracelets. So to benefit brain and spinalcord injury the "Raisin Hell" ride on bracelets were created. All the profits from the bracelets are going to the sheperd center to help brain and spinal cord injury

Cyclingheroes: Do you know already if you will be able to race again and if so what would be your first race?

Saul Raisin: Not yet, I will not know for a while. My ultimate goal is to race by the end of next year. I know I can not race for at least one full year. It takes the brain a year to 18 months to heal.

Cyclingheroes: Thanks for the interview and we wish you all the best!

Saul Raisin "Raising Hell" bracelets and "Raisin Hell" socks can be ordered via the links. All proceedes from the sale of these braceletes go to the Shepherd Center to aid in Brain and Spinal cord injury rehabilitation and care.

More information about the Saul Raisin "Raisin Hope" comeback ride soon at www.saulraisin.com