By Melissa Woods
Australian cyclist Luke Plapp has undergone abdominal surgery following his heavy fall in the men’s Olympic road time trial, which was raced in treacherous conditions in Paris.
Plapp was rushed to hospital for scans on Saturday (local time) after he came off his bike in the rain and slid under a barrier fence after passing the first checkpoint approximately 14km into the 32.4km race.
He had set the fourth-fastest time up until that point.
The 23-year-old was conscious and was helped to his feet but appeared in obvious distress.
The Australan Olympic Committee (AOC) said he was in a “stable condition” in hospital as he awaited scans, accompanied by his parents and a team doctor, and later updated that he had undergone surgery.
“Further medical details are not available at this time,” an AOC spokesperson said.
Earlier, compatriot Grace Brown won Australia’s first gold medal at the Paris Games in the women’s race, with many riders in the event also falling in the slippery conditions.
AAP
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