Koen de Kort has suffered serious hand injuries in an off-road vehicle crash, which resulted in the Dutchman having three fingers amputated on his right hand.
Trek-Segafredo rider De Kort was airlifted to hospital after the incident, which happened near the Pyrenees area of Andorra, where De Kort has been living for a number of years.
After undergoing immediate three-hour surgery in hospital, doctors were forced to amputate the third, fourth and fifth fingers from De Kort’s right hand.
Trek-Segafredo doctor Manuel Rodriguez Alonso said: “Unfortunately, Koen has lost the third, fourth, and fifth finger of his right hand. The amputation has been total removal.
“Dr. Jorge Serrano, who operated on him and to whom we must thank for his work, told me that from the first findings the functionality of the hand will be maintained thanks to the thumb and index finger. The latter also suffered a considerable damage but, thanks to the efforts of the doctors, was saved from amputation.
“Because of considerable dirt around the wounds, the risk of infection has not been ruled out, but the most appropriate antibiotic therapy is being administered. Obviously, Koen will remain in the hospital for the next few days.”
De Kort, 38, who joined the pro peloton in 2002, was involved in a crash while driving an off-road vehicle on Thursday afternoon (June 24).
The experience road captain was rushed by helicopter to Parc Tauli hospital in Barcelona, Spain.
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After doctors assessed the severity of the situation, De Kort underwent emergency surgery.
Dr Rodriguez Alonso has spoken to De Kort both before and after surgery, reporting that the rider is in good condition physically and mentally.
