An Post-Sean Kelly Team leader Niko Eeckhout had an ultrasound done on his knee yesterday and has been advised to take it easy until this Thursday. The 38-year-old has been experincing issues with his knee since February.
"The ultrasound indicated that the situation has improved slightly. The inflammation has gone down, but only partly," Eeckhout told wielernieuws.be.
"The problem came up as a result of a position change the bicycle and a fall in the Etoile de Bessèges," he explained. "I'm now treating it four times per day with ice for recovery. I won't be racing tomorrow in Wanzele in any case. On Thursday I will decide whether or not I participate in the Omloop van het Waasland Sunday."
Eeckhout has had a great start to the season with the An Post-Sean Kelly Team, which this year has been registered in Belgium. He won the final stage of the Etoile de Bessèges with two other podiums in the race, and finished a strong seventh in the Belgian calendar's opening race, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
His presence has secured the Continental team invitations to the Belgian semi-classics, but due to the limitations of their license, Eeckhout won't have an opportunity to ride in ProTour level events like the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.