Ben Swift recovering after suffering spleen rupture in training crash

Ben Swift is recovering in the hospital in Tenerife, Spain, following a heavy crash on Wednesday and a ruptured spleen.

He was training on the island with Sky team-mate and Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas.

Swift, who began racing with Team Sky again in 2019, hopes to return in time for Milan-San Remo – only one month away on March 23. Doctors will possibly move him from intensive care on Friday.

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"I'm still in intensive care. Hopefully I'm moving out of here today," Swift told Cycling Weekly. "My spleen has been stabilised."

Swift already began his season with Sky with the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, where he spirited to third on stage two, and the Tour de la Provence.

In Spain, he was training ahead of a programme that was due to include the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne on March 3. On a training ride with 2018 Tour winner Geraint Thomas, Swift hit a rock or something in the road.

"It was the same colour of the road on a shaded section," he continued.

He suffered facial wounds and road rash, but scans revealed fractures. However, he ruptured his spleen. Doctors performed an operation on Wednesday afternoon to reduce the risk of further bleeding, explained Team Sky

"Thankfully though, he didn't lose consciousness and was aware of the incident afterwards," Team Sky doctor Inigo Sarriegui explained.

"We will continue to monitor him over the coming days, but 24 hours on from the crash he is already feeling better."

Swift, who raced the last two years with UAE Team Emirates, remains optimistic.

"Because I didn't have to have it removed then I guess once I am out of hospital it shouldn't be to bad," he said.

"I am guessing Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne is off schedule, but I hope to keep my plans for Milan-San Remo."

Swift placed third in the 2014 Milan-San Remo and second in 2016, his final year before leaving Team Sky for UAE.