Cycling: Confusion about the severity of John Degenkolb's injury. After the doctor who performed the operation on Degenkolb's injured finger in Spain estimated the downtime at three months, team boss Iwan Spekenbrink contradicts this statement today - at least in part. The 27-year-old may already be back on the bike at Paris-Roubaix.
Spanish doctor Pedro Cavadas is considered a luminary in the field of reconstructive surgery and also performed the complex operation on John Degenkolb's shattered and nearly severed left index finger. A few days later, the surgeon spoke to the Spanish press and put the downtime of the 27-year-old Giant Alpecin pro at at least three months. Today, team boss Iwan Spekenbrink made his first concrete statement about the injury and the associated downtime, after the team had previously held back in this regard.
In an interview with the cycling portal Cyclingnews, Spekenbrink said that they were a little irritated by Pedro Cavadas' statements. "We're relying on what our own doctor says [...] We can't say exactly when he'll be back yet. It will be some time before we can give an estimate. It depends on how his arm and hand recover.” At first glance, the statements do not necessarily sound more positive - in other words: after a shorter downtime - but they question the more than three-month compulsory break that has been mentioned so far.
"At the moment it looks like he can't drive the classics," the team boss dampens expectations - but leaves a back door open: "At least not in the best of shape." Participation in Paris-Roubaix no longer seems to be out of the question, even if defending the title should certainly not be an issue. According to his boss, Degenkolb is already shuffling his feet and wants to get back into action as soon as possible. "He's just giving that 'I really want to go back' attitude again. He is motivated and fully focused, I admire that [...] At first I was a bit surprised when I saw him like that. I thought maybe after an accident like that he would see things from a different perspective, but on the other hand I'm happy to see how focused he is already. It shows what he's capable of.”
But even if the comeback doesn't work out in spring, the (cycling) world will not go under - not for Giant-Alpecin and not for John Degenkolb. “After what happened last Saturday, you see a lot with different eyes. There are also nice races in May, June, July and also in October - there is still a lot to achieve there too. Whenever one door closes, another one opens somewhere else.”
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