Annemiek van Vleuten undergoes surgery following training crash

Annemiek van Vleuten has undergone surgery following a training crash, on Thursday.

The Dutch rider's Movistar team has confirmed that the surgery at Rijnstate Hospital in Arnhem was successful, and that "a full recovery is to be expected."

With the Giro d’Italia Donne and Tour de France Femmes, in July, fast approaching, the team added "Annemiek’s approach to the Grand Tours... will not be compromised by the injury, either."

The reigning Olympic Time Trial Champion and former Road Race and Time Trial World Champion is expected to lead Movistar's roster at both events, and told Cycling Weekly in February this year: "We have another beautiful goal coming up in the Tour de France, and then I will maybe make it a bit more challenging because if the Giro course is interesting, I will also add the Giro to my plan." 

However, she's expecting a fight. After claiming victory a solo victory at Liège-Bastogne-Liège earlier this month, she stated: “Winning has become harder in women’s cycling. I think there are more contenders, I know that I’m better than ever in the spring, but it’s not that it always gives you the win.” 

With the crash having taken place on Thursday, April 28, the team has said that "no timeline has been set on Van Vleuten’s recovery."

The team added, in a statement: "As the Movistar Team management remains committed to putting health before any sporting goals, no plans have been established on Van Vleuten’s return to racing. The Spanish races the Olympic champion was going to compete at in May (Navarra Classics, Itzulia Women and Vuelta a Burgos) are currently out of her schedule."

They added: "Van Vleuten and the Movistar Team wish to thank the medical team at Rijnstate for their quick arrangements to allow for a same-day surgery, which is expected to help with Van Vleuten’s recovery times."