Dutchman out for 4-6 weeks after hitting team car at 80km/h
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Mike Teunissen (Team Sunweb)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Mike Teunissen (NED - Team Sunweb)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) with Mike Teunissen (Sunweb) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Michal Kwiatkowski wins stage 4 of the Tour de Pologne(Image credit: Getty Images)
Michal Kwiatkowski also moved into yellow after his stage win(Image credit: Getty Images)
Mike Teunissen (Team Sunweb) was forced to abandon the Tour de Pologne on Tuesday after he sustained a fractured right collarbone and cracked vertebrae in a high-speed crash in the finale of the stage. The Dutchman crashed when he hit a team car on a descent, and he abandoned the race immediately.
In a statement on Tuesday morning, Team Sunweb reported that Teunissen will not require surgery on his injuries and can return to training on a stationary bike in the coming week.
“Additional checks at the hospital revealed a clavicula fracture on the right side,” said team doctor Anko Boelens. “He also sustained multiple lacerations, a minor crack to his vertebrae and bruised ribs. Luckily no surgery is needed and he should be able to resume training on the rollers within a week. We expect that if all goes to plan then he should be fully recovered in around four to six weeks.”
Teunissen had placed in the top 10 in each of the three previous stages on the Tour de Pologne. The 25-year-old has been enjoying a solid second season in the colours of Team Sunweb, and his Classics campaign featured a second place finish at Dwars door Vlaanderen and 11th at Paris-Roubaix.
In a post on Twitter after stage 4 of the Tour de Pologne – won by Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) – Teunissen recounted his crash and described himself as fortunate to emerge with relatively minor injuries.
“Worst crash ever (and I had a few already) today at @tourdepologne, hit a team car in the final decent and went down at 80 k/h Eventually I step away really lucky with “just” a broken collarbone, broken vertebra and some bruised ribs,” Teunissen wrote.
Team Sunweb directeur sportif Aike Visbeek published a photograph of Teunissen determined to serve himself diner despite his injuries.
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