Worst back on the bike, but indoors: "We still have some goals for this season"

She was well on her way: Annemarie Worst was riding super steadily. Sixth in Dublin, fourth in Herentals, sixth in Namur, and fourth in Hulst. In November, she collected one 5th place after another. It seemed to be paving the way for a cyclo-cross in which it would finally be her turn, and she could finish on the podium. But no such luck: in Zonhoven, things went wrong, and Worst did not cross the line. The reason? Two fractures in her hand.

"My day started very well. I felt like I was in my last few races," the Cyclocross Reds rider shared. "My condition was improving, and with every race, I felt stronger. But it ended brutally with a crash in the pit of Zonhoven. During the crash, I broke two bones in my hand, so now it's time for surgery on Tuesday," she wrote on her Instagram on December 22. Despite the setback, Worst was competing with the best on Saturday, but she slammed hard on the ground out of sight.

It was a significant setback for Worst, who knew she would be out for a while. In a brief statement, the team stated, "Examinations at the AZ in Herentals have revealed two broken metacarpal bones in the left hand. The bones will be surgically repaired. It is too early to say how long she will be out," the team later reported. "But this is a major setback for Annemarie, who was in excellent form at this crucial stage of the cyclo-cross season."

Five days after the World Cup in Zonhoven, she underwent the operation. Worst later revealed that it went according to plan. However, as seen in the photo above, her hand was heavily swollen, and it took time to recover. "I can't wait to get back on the bike," she sounded determined.

Meanwhile, Worst was able to report better news again. "Happy to say I'm back on my bike, although it will remain indoors for the next two weeks." She does this, by the way, in Niels Albert's store. The rider ends with encouraging words. "We still have some goals for this season." So we'll see Worst back in the field this season!