Owain Doull should have been making his World Tour debut on Tuesday – instead he was recovering in hospital after an operation on a ruptured appendix.
The Cardiff-born rider had been pulled from the Tour Down Under with stomach problems which forced him to miss the People’s Choice Classic in Adelaide on Sunday.
And as his Team Sky team-mates were battling with 40 degree heat on the opening stage which had to be shortened on safety grounds, Doull was going under the surgeon’s knife.
The Olympic team pursuit champ, 23, tweeted: “Not exactly how I pictured making my world tour debut but when your appendix ruptures there isn’t much you can do.”
Doll will be sidelined for at least four weeks delaying his debut with Sky having joined from Team WIGGINS after his Games triumph in Rio.
Team Sky doctor Neil Heron said: “Initially Owain had a stomach bug and he had those symptoms for around 36 hours.
“He was starting to improve, but on Tuesday morning his stomach pain became a lot worse.
“We began to suspect appendicitis and he was taken to Royal Adelaide Hospital where they confirmed the suspected diagnosis.
“The earliest he will leave the hospital is Thursday, and recovery and recuperation is likely to take at least four weeks. Owain is obviously disappointed, but he appreciates he needs to be 100% fit to get back racing.”
Fellow Cardiff-born riders Geraint Thomas and Luke Rowe were in action Down Under trying to help sprinter Danny van Poppel win the stage.
But the Dutchman had to settle for a close second to Australia’s Caleb Ewan at the finish in Lyndoch.
Thomas and Rowe both crossed the line with the same time at Ewan – three hours 24 mins 18 secs – in 33rd and 43rd spot respectively.
Race organisers cut 27km from the original 145km stage because of the extreme heat in the Barossa Valley region with the temperature gauge hitting 47 degrees at one point.
Van Poppel said: “It was really hot today and the last lap was really hectic as usual.
“I had a plan to come up late as it was a headwind finish. When it comes to sprints I know the British guys on this team and that I can trust them, so when I follow them I know I’m in the right place.
“I really want to thank them as without them this result wouldn’t have happened.