Dan Martin fractured two vertebrae in his stage 9 crash at the Tour de France, it has emerged.
The Irish rider came off with Richie Porte coming off the Mont du Chat on stage 9. He lost 1:15 to the main contenders.
However, he struggled on even though he had difficulty walking after subsequent stages.
But having been due to ride San Sebastian this weekend, a medical examination revealed two small transverse process fracture to the L2 and L3 vertebrae.
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He will now be sidelined for the next three weeks. The 30-year-old will need to rest and recover before returning to action.
"During the Tour I didn't have any problems when racing,” he said.
“But off the bike I wasn't feeling very comfortable, so this week I did a scan and got the news.
“It's a real pity I won't ride San Sebastian, because the legs were there and it's a race I like, but fortunately this injury isn't something to worry about.
“In order to tackle my future goals in good condition, it's better to take a break and give the fracture time to heal.
“There's nothing else I can do, just rest and then build up for the final part of the season.”
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