Owain Doull forced to miss Team Sky WorldTour debut due to ruptured appendix

Olympic gold medallist Owain Doull was forced to miss his Team Sky WorldTour debut at the Tour Down Under today after rupturing his appendix.

The 23-year-old, who joined Team Sky as a stagiaire from Team Wiggins after last summer's Rio Olympics and has since signed a two-year professional contract, tweeted a picture of himself from his hospital bed in Adelaide.

Not exactly how I pictured making my world tour debut but when your appendix ruptures there isn't much you can do. Ta for all the messages pic.twitter.com/3e1ixUSIaQ

— Owain Doull (@owaindoull) January 17, 2017

Doull, who won team pursuit gold at Rio, missed Saturday's People's Choice Criterium in Adelaide due to what were originally described as stomach problems. He was replaced in Team Sky's line-up for the race by fellow new signing, Kenny Elissonde.

The opening stage of the first WorldTour race of the season, shortened as temperatures exceeded 40°C (over 100° Fahrenheit), was won by Orica-Scott's Caleb Ewen from Team Sky's Danny van Poppel.