Bora-Hansgrohe leader ruled out of Giro d'Italia with knee injury
Leopold König is yet to finish a race in 2017
Bora-Hansgrohe's expected team leader for the Giro d'Italia has been ruled out of the race with a knee injury.
Leopold König, who joined the German team from Team Sky at the start of the 2017 season, had been expected to lead the team's GC efforts in the 100th edition of the race, but will instead rest ahead of the second half of the year.
>>> Geraint Thomas: 'I hope I've got all my bad luck out of the way before the Giro d'Italia'
"I really tried everything in the last weeks. I don’t feel it on easy rides, that’s why I kept training and hoping," König said. "But whenever we started with intervals I felt pain and we had to take it easy again.
"I will take a rest now to fully recover and then start building up again for the second part of the season. For sure I am disappointed, not only for myself, but also for the team."
>>> Hugh Carthy aiming for Giro d'Italia start with Cannondale-DrapacL
König had been expected to take to the start line in Sardinia on May 5 as a part of a strong Giro d'Italia start list alongside the likes of Vincenzo Nibali, Nairo Quintana, Fabio Aru, Geraint Thomas, and Simon and Adam Yates.
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The Czech rider will now see a specialist about his injury, having not raced since January.
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Henry Robertshaw began his time at Cycling Weekly working with the tech team, writing reviews, buying guides and appearing in videos advising on how to dress for the seasons. He later moved over to the news team, where his work focused on the professional peloton as well as legislation and provision for cycling. He's since moved his career in a new direction, with a role at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
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