Just a week after being knocked unconscious in a high-speed crash, Kaden Hopkins was back in the saddle and winning a prestigious race on Sunday.

Hopkins, who crashed into a tree at 65kph last week, formed part of the successful Vendée U team in the Chrono 47 team time-trial, the fourth round of the Coupe de France.

It was a successful return to the podium for the team, who lost out in this event last year after an accident during the race cost them any hope of victory

Contested over 48.5 kilometres around the streets of Francescas, Lot-et-Garonne, Vendee U completed the course in 59min 39.54sec to come home 14 seconds clear of runners-up Veloce Club Rouen with Avcaix En Provence in third.

Vendee U’s Benjamin Marais was happy with the win on his fourth attempt at the race.

.“With Steven [Laurent, sports director], it was important to us to take our revenge, ” Marais said.

“This is the fourth year that I have participated, with two falls and two victories, so it's really nice to win with a new team.

“We have a core with Grégory [Pouvreault], Kaden and me who know the race well and then the new ones who have come in.”

“We decided to start at a good pace while saving a little juice for the second part with the series of bumps, which we did very well”