"I currently see my chances of being there at 50 percent" - Decathlon rider in race for World Championships fitness after brutal crash
CyclingTuesday, 11 August 2026 at 13:00
Decathlon CMA CGM rider Stefan Bissegger has been issued a double blow in just over a month. First of all, he missed out on their Tour de France squad last month before a serious crash at the Tour de Pologne has put his World Championships ambitions in serious doubt.
The Swiss powerhouse, a specialist in the time trial and flat cobbles who in recent seasons has become a valuable domestique, suffered a crash in the final kilometers of the Tour de Pologne finale.
As he picks up the pieces, results from medical examinations on Monday served up some bad news for the 27-year-old: a double fracture of his public bone on the front of his pelvis - derailing his well laid-out plans for the coming six weeks.
It's not the first time in recent months that plans have changed last minute for Bissegger. As Decathlon shifted their plans for La Grand Boucle to include both Paul Seixas and Olav Kooij's ambitions for general classification and sprint stages, Bissegger was one of the unfortunate riders to miss out on selection.
Stefan Bissegger
Bissegger misses out on Tour de France selection
"That came as a complete surprise," Bissegger told Blick, opening up on his disappointment to miss out on selection.
Second place in the Swiss National Championships time trial and an eighth at Paris-Roubaix are among his best results this season, and he had been targeting a potential World Championships involvement in both the time trial and road races in Canada.
Describing how he caught his handlebars on an advertisement banner placed close to the road in his crash, Bissegger is determined to get back on the saddle and give himself the best chance of returning ahead of the World Championships - even willing to offer odds on his chances of doing so.
Read also
Pologne crash and race for World Championships fitness
"It was positioned too close to the road, on the side, and got caught in my handlebars, ripping them out of my hands.
"I have to try to get back in the saddle and pedaling again as quickly as possible. If that works out, there's still hope for the World Championships."
He declared: "I currently see my chances of being there at 50 percent."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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