Luke Rowe could miss the entire Classics season next year after shattering his right leg while on a white-water rafting trip.
The Team Sky rider is recuperating at home in Cardiff after suffering the injuries while on brother, Matt’s, stag-party in the Czech Republic this month.
Rowe jumped onto a rock and has outlined the injuries he suffered while insisting he will be back on his bike sometime next year.
The 27-year-old said: “A tibia, fibula, five metatarsals and a bit in between. It’s pretty bad; I don’t do things by halves. It’s a mess, but we’ll get there.
“The team has been top draw; they flew a doctor straight out to me and then got me back to Cardiff.
“I’ve got a long road ahead with rehab, a lot of time in the gym and with the physics.”
In a post on his Facebook page, he added: “The goal is to get racing next year for sure.
“The start of the season will be tough, but mid or end of the season, I’ll be back on the bike.”
Rowe, as Sky’s road captain, helped Chris Froome win a fourth Tour de France last month.
He finished the race as the lanterne rouge, the last man on the road.
Rowe would have expected to compete in the one-day classics next sprint after a strong start to this year.
He won a at the Herald Sun Tour in Australia in January before finishing sixth at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and bagging a podium finish at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne with third spot.