A harrowing story from INEOS talent Theodor Storm, now riding for Lotto: "I had to spend months in the hospital"

Earlier on Thursday, it was announced that Theodor Storm would join the Lotto Kern-Haus team in 2025, the continental squad closely partnered with INEOS Grenadiers for talent development. Now, the big reason behind this move may have just become clear. The 19-year-old Dane shared the story of his tumultuous 2024, which, for Storm, was a literal fight for survival.

Storm opened up about his ordeal: "I know it has been a long time since you’ve heard from me, but now I’m ready to talk more about what has happened this year," the young talent wrote on Instagram. "Back in January, I had to take a step back from cycling because, right after I rode the Madison at European track championships, I was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome and had to spend months in the hospital," the young Storm revealed, shocking his followers. The syndrome, which arises from unclear causes, affects the nerves and leads to severe muscle weakness.

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Storm candidly shares: "It's been difficult in so many ways"

Receiving such a diagnosis at 19 is devastating, as Storm emphasized. " This has been the toughest year of my life so far, and it’s been difficult in so many ways. I went from achieving my dream of becoming a professional cyclist one moment, to fighting for my life the next. I will forever be grateful to my family for being there in the hardest of times. Of course, my thanks also go out to INEOS Grenadiers, who have supported me through all of this."

"Even though all of this felt incomprehensible, I feel lucky that my recovery has gone so well and that the doctors say it will be possible for me to get back to 100% again. I am over the worst and back to full training, but there’s still work to be done. I am excited to return to road racing next season with Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank. This move will allow me to transition back into racing with Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank. This has been a super hard year for me, but I can see a bright future ahead, and I am excited to take the next step in my recovery in 2025," Storm concluded.

Guillain-Barré syndrome is believed to be triggered by a prior virus. It is an extremely rare condition but can have severe symptoms, including, as in Storm’s case, months-long recovery periods before symptoms begin to subside.

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