🎥 Crash Plapp in time trial: Badly battered Australian under the knife after heavy fall in rain

Soon after, images went up on X showing a disoriented Plapp, lying against the fences. The Australian lay battered and the damage appeared to be considerable.

"Although his fall was not shown in the broadcast, a video on social media showed the aftermath of the fall, in which Plapp - conscious and in motion - was helped off the ground by a member of the Australian Olympic team," the report said. "Plapp underwent abdominal surgery at a Paris hospital overnight. Further medical details are not available at this time."

The Jayco-AlUla rider is scheduled to (in principle) participate in the road race, but that participation seems highly uncertain now. Together with Michael Matthews, Plapp forms the duo for Australia on paper.