Astana concerned over Jakob Fuglsang’s knee following yesterday’s crash

Astana has said it is concerned over Jakob Fuglsang’s knee following the Dane’s crash during yesterday’s opening stage of the Tour de France in Belgium.

Fuglsang, whom bookmakers have made third favourite for the overall behind Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal of Team Ineos, crashed heavily around 20 kilometres from the finish in Brussels.

That didn’t look good! Thanks to his teammates, @jakob_fuglsang was able to return to the peloton to finish @LeTour stage 1.
(c) A.S.O #TDF2019 #AstanaProTeam pic.twitter.com/LWmZtuHyOd

— Astana Pro Team (@AstanaTeam) July 6, 2019

TV footage showed the 34-year-old bleeding heavily from a cut to his face, with on-board footage from a rider ahead revealing that he crashed head-first.

#Replay Vincenzo Nibali (TBM) évite la chute... ce que ne fait pas Jakob Fuglsang (AST). pic.twitter.com/R8mKhdGLx5

— Renaud Breban (@RenaudB31) July 6, 2019

In a statement released yesterday evening, Astana confirmed that Fuglsang had needed four stitches inserted in a cut above his right eyebrow, but added that the most serious concern was his knee.

The team said: “Due to a crash in Stage 1 of the Tour de France, Jakob Fuglsang was brought to the organisation’s medical truck by ambulance after he finished the stage.

“The results of the examinations: A cut above his eye that had to be stitched (4 stitches) and abrasions on his knee, shoulder, and elbow. Radiography showed no fractures, but the knee echo showed muscle contusions around his knee.”

Fuglsang said: “A rider crashed in front of me at the moment we were going to the front of the peloton to stay out of trouble, it was impossible to avoid him and so I crashed.

“It’s not the way you want to start the Tour. I’m happy that there were no fractures, so I’m able to continue the race. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow [ie Sunday].”

Today’s Stage 2 is a 27.6-kilometre team time trial in Brussels starting outside the Palais-Royale and finishing at the Belgian capital’s most iconic building, the Atomium.

> Tour de France Stage 1: Video highlights and reaction from surprise stage winner Mike Teunissen and defending champion Geraint Thomas after Grand Tour opener in Brussels