Tour de France national hero Kévin Vauquelin undergoes surgery after lower leg fracture complications

Tour de France revelation Kévin Vauquelin has undergone surgery for damage to his tibiofibular membrane near his ankle, with uncertainty about the time needed to recover and the impact it may have on the final part of his 2025 season and possible participation in the Rwanda World Championships.

Vauquelin's Arkéa-B&B Hotels team revealed that he had fractured the distal end of his fibula after returning home from the Tour de France. Following speculation about the cause of the injury, Vauquelin took to his Instagram to explain what actually happened, and joked about social media speculation of the cause.

"To be clear, it was while going down the stairs with my suitcase, not at a party. Sorry to those who thought I was an alcoholic," he wrote on Instagram.

Vauquelin was expected to be on crutches for two to three weeks after his injury, but the need for surgery has changed his prognosis.

"After further examinations, Kévin Vauquelin underwent surgery in Lyon for a lesion of the tibiofibular interosseous membrane," Arkéa-B&B Hotels explained in a brief message via social media.

"His unavailability time will be communicated later," the team added.

French media highlighted that the Rwanda World Championships are just five weeks away, making it unlikely that Vauquelin can recover in time to be part of the French national team.

Vauquelin became the French fans' favourite during this year's Tour de France, 12 months after winning stage 2 in Bologna.

He was second in this year's Tour de Suisse and captured French hearts as he fought to stay in the GC at the Tour. He was fifth in the Caen time trial near his home in Normandy and rose to third overall, fighting each day to eventually finish seventh in Paris.

The future of the Arkéa-B&B Hotels team remains uncertain as team manager Emmanuel Hubert desperately looks for new sponsors. Vauquelin has been linked to a move to Ineos Grenadiers after TotalEnergies became a key sponsor, but he has never confirmed his future plans.