The Belgian will be out of competition for a few months after having surgery.
Forced to pull out from Paris-Nice before the final stage due to lower back pain radiating to the right leg, Dries Devenyns returned to Belgium where on Monday morning he had an MRI revealing a disc herniation with compression, requiring an operation.
Dries underwent surgery yesterday, March 13, at the AZ Herentals Hospital, where the hernia was removed with success. One month off the bike and a rehabilitation program will be needed, but the 34-year-old Belgian is happy to get rid of the pain which kept nagging him last week.
"I am sad to miss the races I was down to start in the following months because the form was there, but I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to be pain-free and on the right track to make a full recovery. I am grateful to the team for their support and to the doctors of the AZ Herentals Hospital. From here, I hope it's going to be only onwards and upwards for me this season."
Devenyns has been one of the most consistent riders in the peloton in the first part of the season, notching up several top 10 placings, most notable securing a top 5 in the Tour Down Under, a 4th place in Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race and sixth in the Tour of Oman, results that made him the highest-ranked Quick-Step Floors rider in the World Tour individual classification.
Photo credit: ©Sigfrid Eggers
