Dutch cyclist Koen de Kort has three fingers amputated after crash

Dutch cyclist Koen de Kort had three fingers amputated on Thursday after an off-road driving accident, his Trek-Segafredo team said.

The 38-year-old, the team's road captain, was injured in the Pyrenees and was airlifted to hospital near Barcelona where he underwent surgery.

"Unfortunately, Koen has lost the third, fourth, and fifth finger of his right hand. The amputation has been total removal," said Trek-Segafredo physician Dr. Manuel Rodriguez Alonso.

"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."

De Kort was the captain of the Trek-Segafredo squad at last year's Vuelta a Espana where he finished 82nd overall.

He has taken part in the Tour de France eight times but was not in the team for this year's race which starts in Brest on Saturday.

© 2021 AFP