Infection sidelines Degenkolb ahead of Worlds

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John Degenkolb (Giant Shimano) is currently recovering in a hospital in Germany from an infection to his wounds caused by his crash during the seventh stage of the Vuelta a España.

Degenkolb crashed early in the stage and, despite suffering from a large amount of road rash, managed to finish the stage. Despite his injuries, he was able to go on and win another two stages as well as the green jersey. However, after the racing was over, one of the wounds became infected and under the guidance of the Team Giant-Shimano medical experts he was admitted to hospital in Germany.

"John has been hospitalised to be treated with intravenous antibiotics after one of the wounds he sustained early in the Vuelta became infected," said team medical expert Anko Boelens. "The healing process was going as expected until the morning of the penultimate stage when one of the almost-healed wounds became painful again."

"Since regular antibiotics were no longer having an effect, John was hospitalised. We expect him to be out in the next two days - he is already feeling a lot better and the intravenous antibiotics are having the desired effect."

Degenkolb aid, "After the race, my lymph nodes swelled up to ping-pong ball size and then I could barely walk with the pain. It turns out one of the abrasions was deeper than we thought. A combination of the work-load at the Vuelta and the healing of the skin led to inflammation."

"I tortured myself over the final stages in order not to lose the jersey, then at night I got chills and fevers and was admitted to hospital after my flight home. Thanks go to the public hospital in Frankfurt, and the nurses and doctors - I feel in good hands here. I will stay here under observation for a few more days but I keep my goal, the world championships, in mind."

The infection means that Degenkolb will unfortunately miss out on the world championship team time trial this Sunday, which he was originally planned to compete in.