Successful surgery for Keisse

Quick Step's Iljo Keisse underwent successful surgery yesterday to repair damage caused by a crash in training which knocked him out of the UCI Track World Championships this week.

The Belgian had been diagnosed with a simple broken collarbone after a training crash Monday in Copenhagen, Denmark. Examinations and x-rays in Herentals, Belgium showed his injuries to be more serious than previously thought. He also suffered torn shoulder ligaments, which had to reinforced with synthetic ligaments.

“The x-rays taken in Denmark and Herentals are just two different things,” Keisse told the Belga news agency. “In Belgium the doctors found that in addition to the collarbone, my shoulder ligaments were torn. A very different diagnosis to the earlier 'clean break'. “

During the surgery, six screws were put into the collarbone, and he was given synthetic ligaments. “So the recovery period is now a lot longer than originally thought,” he said.

For now, he has to rest. Only in four or five days “can I even think of riding my bike on the rollers.” In the meantime, “the pain is seriously violent, but that makes sense after such surgery,” Keisse said.

He will undergo another examination in mid-april, at which time he hopes to hear when he can start riding again.

Keisse, 27, was Belgium's top medal candidate in the Madison and points races. On the road, he rides with Team Quick Step.