Tony Martin needed eight stitches in a cut above his right eye after crashing hard at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne but the German is hoping to ride Paris-Nice which begins next Sunday and includes a 14.5km time trial on stage 4.
Martin crashed and hit his head after an apparent touch of wheels while fighting for position in an important echelon with 55km left to race on Sunday. The riders rippled across the road and Martin, who was in the gutter, felt the brunt of it, going down hard close to a parked car.
He bravely got up and raced on for a few kilometres with blood pouring down his face. However he pulled out after advice from race doctors. A check up at hospital confirmed he had not suffered concussion or any fractures.
The German then headed back to the Katusha bus and posted a photo of his injuries on social media, confirming he still hopes to ride Paris-Nice.
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