Tom Pidcock<\/a>, he too will be absent, although he has some good news.<\/p>\n\u201cRecovery has gone super well! So I\u2019m going to race Tour of the Alps next week in preparation for Li\u00e8ge,\u201d the Briton said in a post on social media. \u201cThe Ardennes was the biggest goal of this part of the season so I\u2019m happy to be able to still race one of them in whatever shape that may be.\u201d<\/p>\n
MTB star goes off road
\n![\"Tom](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2267954592.jpg\"\/)
Tom Pidcock has been in fine form this year (Photo: Szymon Gruchalski\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Pidcock crashed heavily on stage 5 of the Volta a Catalunya, going off the road on a descent and down into a ravine. He was able to limp home to finish the stage but suffered a knee injury which saw him as a DNS the next day.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Tour of the Alps will serve as a key benchmark in assessing Pidcock\u2019s condition ahead of his next scheduled objective, Li\u00e8ge\u2013Bastogne\u2013Li\u00e8ge on Sunday, April 26,\u201d his Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling team stated in a press release.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis race program remains flexible, with day-by-day evaluation planned based on his sensations and, in particular, the response of his injured knee under race conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n
He will be backed by Matteo Badilatti, Walter Calzoni, Mark Donovan, Chris Harper and Damien Howson in the five-day contest.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team will approach the race with a balanced and experienced line-up, supporting Pidcock while also targeting stage opportunities across the varied terrain,\u201d the team continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith its mix of short, intense stages and mountainous profiles, the Tour of the Alps provides an ideal platform for Pidcock to regain race rhythm while allowing the team to remain competitive across multiple scenarios.\u201d<\/p>\n
Multiple fractures rule Michael Matthews out
\n![\"Michael](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2257958086.jpg\"\/)
Michael Matthews won Ruta de la Ceramica \u2013 Gran Premio Castellon earlier this year (Photo: Antonio Baixauli\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Matthews had a disastrous crash in early March and suffered a number of injuries to his arms. He gave a photo and video update on social media on Saturday, explaining what he has gone through and where he now is at.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the fifth of March I had a really bad training accident where I had a really bad open fracture on my left arm, cut tendons on my thumb, a broken wrist, a broken thumb,\u201d the four-time Tour stage winner said. \u201cSo it was two different surgeries.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first surgery, we had to do it straight away in Italy for the left arm. And after a few days in Italy, we flew to Belgium to do the surgery for the tendon on my right thumb. Also, a sinus fracture in the face, as you can see probably, the stitches still healing in the face.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo yeah, it\u2019s been a process. It\u2019s been long. It\u2019s been six weeks now since the accident. I have almost full movement back in my fingers, which I\u2019m very, very happy about. It\u2019s been long. I think it was three weeks with no exercise at all, so that was quite difficult for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018Really happy to be back on the bike\u2019
\n![\"Michael](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2257947818.jpg\"\/)
Michael Matthews took victory in the Ruta de la Ceramica \u2013 Gran Premio Castellon on January 24, 2026 (Photo: Antonio Baixauli\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
That\u2019s all been a big ordeal but, fortunately, things are now picking up for the 35-year-old Australian.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter that, I could start with some fast-paced walking and a little bit of gym to keep the muscles in my legs,\u201d he said, describing his way back.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd after I think it was four weeks, I could jump back on the home trainer on Zwift and got some good sessions on there. Short, but just to keep the body moving. I think I\u2019m third day back on the road now, still with casts on the bike, but just really happy to be back on the bike.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthews thanked his Jayco-AlUla team for its support and also for all the messages he received from people wishing him well. The complexity of his injuries was brought home when he stated that he couldn\u2019t reply as he couldn\u2019t use the fingers on either hand for a long time. He said he intended to reply to everyone who had sent good wishes.<\/p>\n
Missing Amstel and the Ardennes Classics is tough for him, and so too what he has gone through.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a difficult period,\u201d he said. \u201cI was just finished a really good training camp with my team at altitude, getting ready for this big Classic block \u2013 the part of the season I really enjoy the most.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I\u2019m sad I can\u2019t be there, but my team is performing really well, so I\u2019m really happy about that. I can\u2019t wait to be back on the road and see you guys soon.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ayuso still not himself
\n![\"Juan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2270096315.jpg\"\/)
Juan Ayuso (Team Lidl \u2013 Trek) riding in the stage 1 time trial getting the Itzulia Basque Country race underway (Photo: Ion Alcoba Beitia\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Like Pidcock and Matthews, Ayuso had intended targeting the Ardennes Classics. The 23-year-old Spaniard won the Volta ao Algarve in February, his first race with Lidl-Trek, and was leading Paris-Nice in March but abandoned on stage four following a crash.<\/p>\n
He was below par in the recent Itzulia Basque Country and withdrew on stage four, with his team saying afterwards that he had been ill. It gave an update on his condition this week.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately Juan Ayuso will miss the upcoming Ardennes Classics,\u201d it stated on social media.<\/p>\n
\u201cMedical tests after Itzulia Basque Country showed a recent viral infection and the Spaniard is not yet ready to return to competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cFeel better soon Juan, We will miss you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Also missing from the Ardennes is Irish rider Ben Healy. He took eighth overall in Tirreno-Adriatico earlier this year, and was also 12th in Strade Bianche. However he was just 30th in Itzulia Basque Country after crashing prior to the opening time trial, and while he was able to finish the race, he wasn\u2019t his usual self.<\/p>\n
He hadn\u2019t realized how significant his injury was, but further testing explained what was happening.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis week, Ben\u2019s pain increased, so we decided to take him for an MRI,\u201d explained EF Pro Cycling head doctor Jon Greenwell. \u201cThose scans came back with a non-displaced sacral fracture that will not require surgery.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince he is unable to ride comfortably, we decided that it is best for him to have some time off to prevent any long term complications or other injuries that might occur whilst trying to work around this injury.<\/p>\n
\u2018That\u2019s bike racing. It is what it is\u2019
\n![\"Ben](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2270746648.jpg\"\/)
Ben Healy took the most combative rider prize during stage 5 of Itzulia Basque Country 2026 (Photo: Tim de Waele\/Getty Images )<\/p>\n
Healy has a strong record in the Ardennes events, netting second in the 2021 Amstel Gold, plus third and fourth in Li\u00e8ge-Bastogne-Li\u00e8ge in 2025 and 2023 respectively.<\/p>\n
He was also fifth in last year\u2019s Fl\u00e8che Wallonne. Healy then went on to win a stage and wear yellow at the Tour de France, placing ninth overall.<\/p>\n
He built strong form again in the autumn and placed third in the road world championships.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s gutting,\u201d the 25 year old said of his absence. \u201cI\u2019ve just got to roll with the punches. I\u2019m trying not to think about it too much, but it\u2019s going to suck to watch the Ardennes and not be a part of it. That\u2019s bike racing. It just is what it is.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt Itzulia, I thought I was getting better throughout the race, and I thought not too much damage was done. It wasn\u2019t really until I got home that it really started to give me some grief. Since getting home, I haven\u2019t been able to ride. Obviously, we needed to find out what was causing the pain.\u201d<\/p>\n
That discomfort prompted him to get the MRI scans and they in turn revealed the nature of the problem. Thankfully he needs rest rather than surgery.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe bone that I fractured is a pretty insignificant bone, so as soon as I don\u2019t have pain, then I should be able to ride as I wish,\u201d Matthews explained. \u201cIt\u2019s the pain that we\u2019re worried about and the risk that I could give myself a secondary injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs soon as there\u2019s no pain, then hopefully we\u2019ll be on track for the Tour Auvergne-Rh\u00f4ne-Alpes and the Tour. We just need to see how recovery goes first.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Greenwell believes Healy should be able to return to training in approximately two weeks and to then begin his buildup towards the Tour de France.<\/p>\n
Like the other three big names who will be missing Amstel, all roads appear to lead to the Tour. They\u2019ll hope for better luck between now and then, of course, and that they can rebuild steadily as each week passes.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Updated April 18, 2026 05:55PM Four of the biggest names in the sport will be absent from Sunday\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":613819,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[445],"tags":[168574,49,48,635,54263,82,102248,230988,90609,225746,62849,54267],"class_list":{"0":"post-613818","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cycling","8":"tag-audio-true","9":"tag-ca","10":"tag-canada","11":"tag-cycling","12":"tag-parent_category-road","13":"tag-sports","14":"tag-tag-amstel-gold-race","15":"tag-tag-ardennes-classics","16":"tag-tag-ben-healy","17":"tag-tag-fleche-wallonne","18":"tag-tag-juan-ayuso","19":"tag-type-article"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/613818","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=613818"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/613818\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/613819"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=613818"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=613818"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=613818"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}