Van der Poel and Philipsen to miss key domestique this spring; Alpecin rider out for 6 to 8 weeks

"Michael Gogl is still experiencing knee issues and will therefore have to skip the spring classics," the injury update stated. "After conservative treatment failed to bring relief, he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Monday. The procedure, performed by Dr. Steven Claes in Herentals, focused on inflammation around his right kneecap."

As a result, the Austrian rider will be out of competition for an extended period. "His recovery will take several weeks, starting with physiotherapy and light training on rollers under the supervision of our medical staff and coaches. His return to racing will depend on his progress, with an estimated timeline of 6 to 8 weeks at this stage. We all wish him a speedy recovery," the team statement concluded.

The news will come as a big blow to both Van der Poel’s and Philipsen’s camps. Over the winter, the two star riders had already lost two key spring classics support riders, Axel Laurance and Søren Kragh Andersen, who left the team. Now, Philipsen will have to defend his Milan-San Remo title without all three of them, while Van der Poel will also be without their support in the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.