Degenkolb fractured the radius in his left arm as well as sustaining a serious injury to his index finger in Saturday’s incident, but he underwent successful surgery on Sunday morning in Manises, near Valencia on Sunday morning.
Speaking to Spanish news agency EFE, surgeon Pedro Cavadas said that it would take “about three months” before Degenkolb is fit to return to racing, meaning that the 2015 Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix winner will miss this year’s Classics campaign altogether.
Cavadas made international headlines in 2011 when he performed the first ever double leg transplant. He previously led the team that carried out the first ever double hand transplant in 2006.
Degenkolb spent three hours in surgery on Sunday morning, where Cavadas reattached his severed left index finger, which had risked amputation.
“In theory he could return to racing in the space of three months,” Cavadas told EFE. “Because his normal life is competing at the highest level, the recovery time will be a bit longer than for other patients.”
Degenkolb is reportedly still in hospital in Manises, but is due to return home to Germany in the coming days to continue his rehabilitation.
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Degenkolb’s teammate Chad Haga also remains in hospital. The American suffered deep wounds to his chest, neck, chin and face, and is due to undergo surgery on a fractured orbital bone in his face later in the week.
On Monday, Spanish police announced that a 73-year-old English woman had been charged with reckless driving following her collision with the Giant-Alpecin training group at Benigembla, near Alicante on Saturday.
Six Giant-Alpecin riders were injured in the incident: Degenkolb, Haga, Warren Barguil, Ramon Sinkeldam, Max Walscheid and Fredrik Ludvigsson.
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