Seven months ago, Ben Swift was lying in intensive care after a training crash left him with multiple injuries, including cuts, bruises, and a torn spleen.

On Sunday morning, he will lead the British contingent in the World Championships Elite Men's Road Race in what is arguably his best comeback season in years.

Swift started the season by returning to his old team, Team Sky/Aineos, after two barren years with UAE Team Emirates, but his campaign began in the worst possible way with a training crash in Tenerife.

However, after the Tour de Suisse in June, the British rider continued to ride well, winning the national road race title in the summer. Since then, his full attention has been focused on the Yorkshire World Championships, and while he is not starting among the elite contenders, his pedigree cannot be ignored.

"I don't think in February I was thinking much about anything other than recovery time. Once I knew I was out of the danger zone, I knew I was good to go. After that it was all about getting in shape. Once I started getting back into shape again, this World Cup became a big focus," Swift told the press earlier this week. [When you're in intensive care it's hard to think about coming back, but once you wake up a little bit, it's all you want to do. I could have been worrying about the coach's head or thinking about the race schedule. I was looking forward to coming back."

Winning the British Nationals was a big moment for Swift. It was a vindication of his return to Ineos after a difficult time in the UAE that led him to consider retirement at the end of last year.

"That win proved that it has been a really consistent year. We have progressed race by race. We were able to win again, and we've been consistent all year.

Swift has never won a Monument or road world title, but his pedigree in one-day races is still impressive. His two podium finishes in Milan-San Remo were no fluke.

I have always done well in hard one-day races. I'm never a contender for the championship, but it's my home country and I have a lot of strong riders on my team. I hope I can stay under the radar a little bit. It would be great to get the jersey, but I would be happy to be on the podium. But it's also nice to get on the podium."

Having missed out on the full eight-man field, the British team will go in with a small but well-rounded six-man lineup. Swift will lead the way, with Adam Yates likely to be the driving force in the closing stages. Ian Stannard and Owain Doull will handle the early leg work, but Swift believes that if his home country Great Britain can stay under the radar long enough on Sunday, they can surprise some people.

"It's a shame there are six of us, but we have the depth of the field. We are a group that races together and knows how to go the distance."

Regardless of the outcome, lining up as the leader at the World Championships is a big step for Swift.

"This time last year I didn't even know if my career was over," he says of his time with UAE Team Emirates.

"I didn't even know if I would race in England. Now I have a new two-year contract and I'm in a happy place. My family life is good and, apart from the injuries I've had this year, this has probably been my best season."