Telenet-Fidea's Bart Wellens confirmed to Cyclingnews that he will miss the first half of the cyclo-cross season as he continues his recovery from cytomegalovirus (HCMV).
The 31-year-old was diagnosed with the virus, which exhibits symptoms similar to those of glandular fever, three weeks ago. He stopped training immediately and will concentrate on his recovery before resuming his 'cross season later in the year.
"I'm not feeling ill; that's the main problem, I'm just tired all the time," Wellens told Cyclingnews. "At first we thought it was because of the altitude training we did, but when I was dropped by a group of 70-year-olds I knew something wasn't normal. I've got a blood-borne virus and I've been doing completely nothing for three weeks now."
In spite of a period of forced convalescence, Wellens will remain visible at races throughout the season. "I'll be the guest commentator during the races which is nice because it keeps me in the cyclo-cross world. But mentally it's very hard because now you want to be out racing your bike."
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