Jake Stewart's season delayed by intestinal ailment

After a stellar WorldTour debut last year, Jake Stewart's 2022 season has yet to get underway as the 22-year-old is waylaid by intestinal problems, his Groupama-FDJ team announced on Tuesday.

In taking second place at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad last year, Stewart confirmed his promise for the Classics but after a clash with Nacer Bouhanni in the Cholet-Pays de la Loire that left him with a fracture in his left hand, he missed out on the Tour of Flanders.

The Briton said he doesn't know when he will start racing.

"Since mid-January, I have been bothered by intestinal problems, which prevented me from competing," Stewart said in a team press release. "We are looking for the best solution to cure it. During this period of time, I will not be able to race at a high level, I can train but I will not compete."

Team doctor Jacky Maillot specified Stewart is experiencing inflammation in his intestines and "will have to follow a treatment that will keep him away from racing".

Stewart thanked the team for giving him "time to understand what was going on. Everything is in line for me to get better and to get back to my best level."

Following up on Twitter, Stewart said, "sorry to you guys that I've flicked that had me in your fantasy teams for the spring classics because it's gonna be a while until I'm racing again. Health is wealth, and we're taking our time to find my 100% again!"