Michael Matthews of Team Jayco AlUla has been forced to halt all cycling activities for now after the Australian suffered health issues at a recent training camp. After being checked by medics he was found to be suffering from a pulmonary embolism.
The condition is a blockage of an artery in the lungs that results from a blood clot that has formed somewhere else in the body traveling to the lungs.
Matthews has taken some excellent results already this season, including winning Eschborn-Frankfurt (1.UWT) in Germany on May Day as well as placing 5th in Amstel Gold Race (1.UWT) and 4th in Milan-Sanremo (1.UWT).
Related News
His team has said he suffered the health issues at an altitude camp and, in an effort to protect his health, he will not race for the foreseeable, and will definitely not ride the Tour de France.
Advertisement
"During a recent altitude training camp, GreenEdge Cycling's medical team discovered signs of pulmonary embolism and have subsequently decided to pause all physical activity for the rider until further notice, as a precautionary measure," Jayco AlUla said of Matthews.
In its statement of Friday morning, the team added: "Michael's health condition is stable. The medical team are now thoroughly investigating the extent of the issue and possible cause, to define a safe and optimal recovery process for the athlete
"During this period of investigation, as a safeguarding measure, Matthews will refrain from competition to ensure there is no risk to his health and well-being, therefore ruling out his participation in the upcoming Tour de France."
