Breschel's classics campaign over due to knee surgery

Dane Matti Breschel says his chances of racing the spring classics are over due to knee pain and a pending surgery on Tuesday.

"I have tried to ignore it," Breschel told Denmark's BT newspaper, "but I have actually been able to feel pain since my knee injury that occurred during Paris-Roubaix back in the spring."

Specialist Eilif Larsen will operate on Breschel's right knee at a sports clinic in Denmark. The knee problem stemmed from April's Paris-Roubaix race in France, where Breschel was unable to help team-mate Fabian Cancellara to his eventual win.

Breschel helped Cancellara win the Tour of Flanders a week before, but at the Scheldeprijs mid-week he began to feel pain. The pain forced him to ride in the car during team Saxo Bank's reconnaissance of Paris-Roubaix.

The initial diagnosis was for tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendons around the knees. But an MRI scan has shown that Breschel injury has worsened, with scar tissue growth outside of the tendon. Despite his troubles, he finished second to Thor Hushovd at the World Championships is in Geelong, Australia, on October 3.

"It began hurting as I slowly began training after a short break following the World Championships. I thought and hoped that it should just go away, but it soon proved to be too painful."

The surgery on Tuesday will put Breschel on crutches and keep him of the road for six to 12 weeks. It is not the way Breschel wanted to begin his reported €540,000 contract with Dutch team Rabobank.

"It's definitely not the best start to a new team. But Rabobank knew that I had some problems and want just that I get treated quickly and well as possible," added Breschel

"Now, is the time to have surgery. Of course, I am bitter to have to miss the spring classics, but I must comfort myself with the fact that there are other goals for the season. There is both the Tour de France and of course, the World Championships in Denmark."

With Breschel likely lacking form, Rabobank will have to rely on home stars, Lars Boom and Sebastian Langeveld for the classics.

Related links

April 2010: Breschel quits Paris-Roubaix with serious knee problem

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