Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) has explained the home incident that left him with a lower leg fracture just two days after finishing seventh overall at the Tour de France, joking about the cause of his injury after speculation on social media, "Sorry to those who thought I was an alcoholic."
Having been one of the protagonists of the Tour and new idol for the French fans and media, Vauquelin's Arkéa-B&B Hotels team revealed that their rider had fractured the distal end of his fibula. The news prompted hundreds to react and some suggested it came as a result of Sunday night's festivities, following a successful Tour.
"Following a domestic accident, Kévin Vauquelin has fractured the distal end of the fibula," read a post on the team's X profile. "The duration of his unavailability will be communicated later."
Vauquelin took to his Instagram to clear up what had actually happened, and he saw the funny size of the bizarre incident, which occurred while he was walking downstairs with his luggage.
"To be clear, it was while going down the stairs with my suitcase, not at a party," read Vauquelin's story on Tuesday evening, followed by a quip.
"Sorry to those who thought I was an alcoholic."
After starring in the early phases of the Tour, which went through his home Normandy region, Vauquelin was meant to enjoy that huge support once again at the Lisieux critérium on Tuesday night, but was forced to attend on crutches. The traditional post-Tour criterum was won by Ben Healy.
The 24-year-old also shed more light on potential recovery times, after his team had been vague, with selection for the Rwanda World Championships at the backend of September remaining a goal.
"It's a bad injury. It's my first fracture, it's the first time I've been on crutches," he told BFM Normandie.
"It's annoying, but let's say it's happening at the least bad time, just after the Tour de France. There will be a convalescence of at least two or three weeks. It's also the time when my body needed to rest. It's going to force me to rest."
As a talented Ardennes Classics rider and more-than-capable time trial rider, Vauquelin would have been one of France's team leaders in both headline events in Kigali, but will now face a race against time to prove he is fit to make the selection.
Vauquelin remained optimistic that seven weeks would be enough time.
"The World Championships have always been a goal, just as I had already marked the French championships," he said.
"I need to see [French national coach] Thomas Voeckler to find out where I'll be in the national team. I'll recover from this injury as quickly as possible to be at the start of these championships."
Vauquelin's current team, Arkéa-B&B Hotels' future remains in the balance as they fight to secure another sponsor, but he has been rumoured for a move away from the French WorldTour squad, with links to Ineos Grenadiers.
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