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Degenkolb to miss defence of Milan-San Remo & Paris-Roubaix titles after being hit car on training ride

Surgeon who operated on Giant-Alpecin rider says recovery likely to take three months

John Degenkolb will need at least three months to recover from the injuries he sustained on Saturday when a motorist drove into a group of Giant Alpecin riders on a training ride, meaning he rider will be unable to defend his Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix titles.

The news was revealed by world-leading reconstructive surgeon Pedro Cavadas, who operated on the 27-year-old in Manises near Valencia on Sunday including reattaching the index finger the German cyclist nearly lost in the crash. He also sustained a fracture of his left radius.

Cavadas, who in his career has led the first double hand and double leg transplants, said that Degenkolb’s recovery “is progressing well” and that “theoretically he can return to competition in three months.”

However, he added that as an elite athlete, “his recovery time will be a little longer than for other patients,” reports Spanish sports website AS.

Degenkolb was one of six Giant-Alpecin cyclists hospitalised after the incident which happened when a car being driven on the wrong side of the road by a 73-year-old British woman crashed into the group.

> Six Giant-Alpecin riders in hospital after training crash

The motorist, who has not been named, has been charged by the Spanish authorities with reckless driving.

Besides Degenkolb, who will reportedly return home to Germany later this week to continue his recovery, the American rider Chad Haga who sustained injuries to his neck and chin as well as a broken eye socket also remains in hospital.

The other members of the team injured in the incident – Warren Barguil, Max Walscheid, Fredrik Ludvigsson and Ramon Sinkeldam – were treated in hospital on Saturday and discharged the following day.

Degenkolb’s victories in Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix in spring last year made him the first rider to win both Monuments in the same season since Ireland’s Sean Kelly did so in 1986.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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earth | 8 years ago
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Hit by a 73 year old.  Drivers liscences should be valid for 5 years before the driver has to take a refresher test for it to be renewed.  Quality of driving would be far improved and people who's eyes are too cloudy or obscured by the steering wheel would have to get the bus.

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harrybav replied to earth | 8 years ago
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earth wrote:

Hit by a 73 year old.  Drivers liscences should be valid for 5 years before the driver has to take a refresher test for it to be renewed.  Quality of driving would be far improved and people who's eyes are too cloudy or obscured by the steering wheel would have to get the bus.

Sure, sure, medical note for everyone every 5 years, no bad thing. 

That said, insurance for 73 year old drivers is waaaay cheaper than for those under 25, for a cold hard statistical reason.

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Housecathst | 8 years ago
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Get well soon John, I'll miss you in the Paris roubaix. 

It had to be a British motorist didn't its. Hopeful that will be the end of her driving and perhaps her Liberty too. 

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