Luke Rowe admits he feels like a kid at Christmas being back racing at the Abu Dhabi Tour.

The Team Sky rider has come through his first two days of his comeback after shattering his right leg last August.

Rowe impressed on Thursday’s second stage as the peloton split in the desert crosswinds on the run in to Yas Beach.

The Cardiff-born rider showed why he was regarded as team leader on last year’s Tour de France as he expertly marshalled young team-mate Kristoffer Halvorsen into the front group.

Rowe said afterwards: “I was like a kid at Christmas out there, I loved it.

“It was exciting with the wind, then helping Kristoffer in the sprint at the end… I’m just relishing the return to be honest.

“I felt good. I wasn’t sure how I’d be coming into a race environment as it’s that next level up.

“But I think I can take quite a bit of confidence from today. The race split up a few times and I was always in the front. It wasn’t comfortable but I felt good within myself.

“I’m feeling pretty strong on the bike and everything is – slowly but surely – heading in the right direction.”

Rowe has not raced since last year’s Tour de France having suffered the freak injury jumping onto a rock while on a white water rafting stag-go for his brother Matt in the Czech Republic last August.

The 27-year-old added: “I feel like I’m really starting to get back to where I was.

“I’ve still got a bit of work to do and there’s still a few building blocks to put in place to get back there but I’m feeling pretty strong on the bike and everything is – slowly but surely – heading in the right direction.”

Rowe would love to take part in this spring’s Classics but admits it is still too soon to say if he will make the Sky line-up.

“I can take a lot from today but at the same time, to be at those Classics, you have to really be flying,” he added to www.teamsky.com.

“I still think time will tell. I do want to be there, to be on the start line of Roubaix and Flanders would be a dream come true and would feel like coming full circle after the injury.

“I think it is achievable but it’s going to be a tall order – a big ask. I’ll never say never.”