Owain Doull has laughed off finally being able to make his World Tour debut with Team Sky following an appendix operation.

The Cardiff-born rider was due to make his bow at last month’s Tour Down Under but ended up in hospital in Adelaide.

Doull’s surgery meant he was also unable to help Chris Froome when he tried to defend his Herald Sun Tour crown in Australia.

But the 23-year-old will be part of the Sky line-up when the four-day Abu Dhabi Tour gets underway in the desert kingdom on Thursday.

And Doull tweeted: “Attempting to make my debut for the second time. Fingers crossed I don’t lose an organ this time.”

 

Doull won Team Pursuit gold in Rio last summer before making his move from Team WIGGINS to the powerful Manchester-based outfit.

He did compete for Sky in the Abu Dhabi Tour last October, but it was not part of the World Tour.

But this week marks his official debut as a professional with Team Sky having signed a two-year deal to join the likes of fellow Cardiff-born riders Geraint Thomas and Luke Rowe.