Deceuninck-QuickStep lead-out man to undergo scan on injured knee
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Max Richeze celebrates a smart win(Image credit: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Max Richeze on the team bus ahead of the stage(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Oliviero Troia (UAE Abu Dhabi) finished second behind Maximiliano Richeze on stage 6 of the Vuelta a San Juan(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Max Richeze is Gaviria's final lead-out rider(Image credit: Getty Images)
Max Richeze (Quick-Step Floors) celebrating(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Max Richeze was hit by a car while training in his native Argentina on Wednesday, suffering a blow to his knee that will require a scan.
The Deceuninck-QuickStep lead-out man was training in his home country ahead of the Vuelta a San Juan, where he is due to start his 2019 season later this month alongside sprinter Alvaro Hodeg. He was hit by a car from behind and although he acknowledged the consequences could have been much more severe, he suffered several contusions, including a worryingly swollen knee.
Speaking to South American website Ciclismo Internacional, Richeze explained what happened.
"I was riding at the side of the road very close to the verge, and I don't know why but it occurred to me to look behind at the traffic. I saw that a car was coming along on the verge and was going to hit me," he said. "The women in the car said the pressure in her tyres went and she went onto the verge to try and slow down, but she didn't slow down.
"If I hadn't seen the car and it had caught me more off guard, it could have been much worse."
As for the pain in his knee, he explained: "I'm not sure what it is. Tomorrow I'm going to go and have a scan, because it's very swollen."
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