The Discovery Channel team has suffered a number of setbacks in the last week, culminating in the crash of Leif Hoste during Milan-San Remo. With 40 km to go, Hoste hit Cristian Moreni as several other riders came down when the road narrowed because of parked cars. Hoste has a swollen right knee and has been advised not to ride for several days. He is very much in doubt for Wednesday's Dwars Door Vlaanderen, and could even miss Saturday's E3 Prijs in Harelbeke.
Discovery couldn't field either George Hincapie or Max van Heeswijk in Milan-San Remo, as Hincapie had a cold and Van Heeswijk had sinusitis, a sore throat and toothache. Hincapie will not ride Dwars Door Vlaanderen and is also in doubt for Harelbeke. "He still has two weeks before the Ronde [Tour of Flanders], three before Roubaix. But nothing more can go wrong now," said Discovery's director Dirk Demol.
