Mark Cavendish has been discharged from hospital in Belgium and is back home in the UK four days after his bad crash at the Ghent Six Day.
His Deceuninck-QuickStep team boss, Patrick Lefevere, said the matter of Cavendish's protracted contract arrangements for next year could wait until he had recovered a little.
Cavendish's wife Peta and two of their children were watching on when he crashed, taking a very heavy fall. And though he was able to briefly stand and wave to the crowd, he was taken from the venue on a stretcher.
After his crash on Sunday he was diagnosed with broken ribs and a punctured lung. The British rider was treated in the intensive care unit at Ghent University Hospital and said earlier this week he would remain in hospital for a number of days.
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However, he has now been discharged and traveled home to the UK where he will continue with his recovery.
He is expected to stay with Deceuninck-QuickStep for next year after signing a wageless one-year deal with the Belgian team this time last year for the 2021 season. He then shot back into form with four sprint stage wins at the Tour, where he also claimed the green jersey.
It now appears he is looking to next season as his last in the peloton and is hoping to work for Deceuninck-QuickStep after he retires from racing.
However, Lefevere has said if Cavendish joins the management side of the team to learn from him, as the British rider has proposed, he does not believe he should have to pay the 34-time Tour stage winner a salary.
That element of Cavendish's contract appears to be the sticking point. And while Lefevere had hoped to wrap up the contract talks in recent days, he now says the matter can wait until Cavendish's recovery had progressed.
