Inflamed achilles tendon hinders Boasson Hagen

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After a great start to his 2010 season, Team Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagen has revealed he is suffering from an inflamed achilles tendon, although he hopes to recover in time to defend his Gent-Wevelgem crown on Sunday.

The 22-year-old Norwegian felt a slight pain in his achilles tendon during last weekend's Milan-San Remo. He had gone into the event as one of the favourites after taking the final stage of Tirreno-Adriatico and displaying some stellar early-season form at the Tour of Oman but stomach problems meant he was dropped on the Cipressa and he finished 106th.

Both Team Sky and Boasson Hagen were quick to downplay the injury but he admitted that he will have to avoid serious training this week in the hope the problems heals before the northern Classics begin. "It is not really serious, but it is annoying," he told Procycling.no. "I must take it easy for the next days and hope that it goes away by itself. tself is fit to start so I can stand in Gent-Wevelgem."

Boasson Hagen cemented his place as one of cycling's biggest talents by winning Gent-Wevelgem ahead of Liquigas' Aleksandr Kuschynski. While the achilles injury may hamper his preparation for this year's edition of the race he'll still return to the Belgian classic as one of the favourites. He is expected to travel to Belgium today to meet with Team Sky doctors and management.

"I haven't discussed my participation in the E3-Prijs Vlaanderen and Gent-Wevelgem with Sky management yet," he continued. "They will take a look at it when I arrive in Belgium and then make the decision. I hope at least to ride in Gent. It's perhaps not the most important races this year, but I'd like to ride."