Kasper Asgreen out of Tour de Suisse with brutal road rash

Kasper Asgreen crashed out of the Tour de Suisse late in stage 3 yesterday, suffering horrendous road rash injuries. He did not start stage 4 on Wednesday.

The Dane on Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl was one of the riders involved in a crash that took down riders close to the finish of Tuesday’s stage won by a resurgent Peter Sagan (TotalEnergies).

“I am disappointed to say goodbye to the Tour de Suisse,” Asgreen said. “The feeling in these first couple of days had been good and I was looking forward to the coming stages.”

“I want to thank the team’s medical staff for how they looked after me and at the same time express my hope that the recovery will be a fast one. Best of luck to my teammates for the next days.”

Asgreen, who is expected to start the Tour de France next month on home roads, suffered multiple road rash cuts on his arms and legs and a deep wound on his left knee, which needed stitches.

After further medical examinations, doctors pulled him out of the race so that his body can recover ahead of the Tour. He did not start Wednesday.

In his column last weekend in the Belgian media, Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefevere also said the team is leaning toward bringing Fabio Jakobsen to the Tour ahead of Mark Cavendish.

Lefevere said both riders vow to be ready for the Tour, and that the team will bring the strongest, healthiest, and fastest rider to Denmark, where the race starts this year.

Lefevere also said it’s looking likely that world champion Julian Alaphilippe will be able to recover in time to start the Tour on July 1.

DNF today for 🇩🇰 Kasper Asgreen in #TourdeSuisse2022.

Looking at the picture, I think we can all understand why. What a warrior. pic.twitter.com/uky8XX4jEV

— Domestique (@Domestique___) June 15, 2022