Due to a small fracture to his shoulder sustained in a late crash at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday, Team Sunweb’s Michael Matthews is unable to compete at this weekend’s Strade Bianche, also leaving participation at Tirreno Adriatico next week uncertain.
Initially suspected to be purely external abrasions, Matthews underwent further investigation upon returning home where the fracture in his left shoulder was discovered.
Team Sunweb Physician Anko Boelens explained: “The diagnosis from the MRI scan is a non-displaced fracture of the greater tuberosity of the left upper arm. Because the fragment is not displaced, surgery in this case is not required. Michael will need to take some rest and afterwards undergo physiotherapy before restarting training on the rollers.
“Much is dependent on improvement over the next days, but at the moment we can certainly say that Strade Bianche on Saturday is not possible. The healing process and Michael’s pain levels will determine when he can return to the bike. After the weekend we will re-evaluate for his upcoming races and see if Tirreno is realistic.”
Lennard Hofstede will replace Matthews at Strade Bianche.
