The hugely promising Norwegian talent Edvald Boasson Hagen had hoped to chase Classic victories this season but will now have to sit out this Sunday’s Amstel Gold Race, as well as next week’s Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
The Team Sky rider has been struggling with an Achilles tendon problem and was unable to take part in the cobbled Classics. While he is currently able to train, he has been forced to draw a line through the Ardennes Classics. He is scheduled to return to racing in the Tour de Picardie on May 14th.
From there he will work on gaining form and trying to get into top shape for what will be his first Tour de France.
"I don’t know how the injury occurred,” he told TV2. “Maybe it's a combination of different things. We have now moved the seat slightly, resulting in a better position for my hip.”
The 22 year old has already a rich palmares and is tipped for great things. He is a strong all rounder who also has a lightning-fast sprint when on form.
Despite his injury, he has already clocked up three wins this season. He took two stages in the Tour of Oman and would almost certainly have won overall had he not been caught out by a badly-timed toilet stop. He also took a stage in Tirreno-Adriatico.