"I currently see my chances of being there at 50 percent" - Decathlon rider in race for World Championships fitness after brutal crash
Cycling
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.
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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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- I think other competitors also had great Tours, so it wasn't that Ferrand-Prévot necessarily failed in some way - it's more likely that the other top riders lifted their game and maybe also a bit of luck with no crashes, etc. It's the Tour de France after all. It's not meant to be easy to defend your title (the few exceptions like Pogacar prove the rule).Pogboom01-11-2026
- maybe we should put our cv at the end of each comment post ... same rights for all of us!Ketterechts01-11-2026
- hahah literally all it is. Glad im not the only one noticing, essentially this is just a blog as it is now. Run buy boys from their bedroom hehe Their very subjective aswell, people on twitter even said their pure visma fanboys, if you listen to Ruben silva guy pre TDF this year all he said turned out to be wrong and constantly fail to realize visma isnt where they was before roster wice or means to contest even RBH or Lidl anymore, ,very biased ppl and when you run ''news articles that way its problematic..miguel01-11-2026
- The new joke of the year in 2027: "If both guys (Pogi and Seixas) finish upright on their bikes and both don't get sick for some reason, I think Paul will fight Tadej to the end and will possibly beat him in 2027 at the Tour, yes, I just said that." ... ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ...PogiSloFans01-11-2026
- Cutting his suit up and getting him to sign it while quite seriously injured is absolutely ghoulishwrsty01-11-2026
- 24 years old?Ketterechts01-11-2026
- Hey @frieder3, yeah sure, bull crap. What experience? You have no eyperience, you're an amateur cyclist... and to make things even worse, you're a lousy amateur cyclist. So what you're saying about your C7 has no relevance... do you even know where C7 is in your body? No, it's not in your knee!!! PS: Trump loves ya... 😍😍😍PogiSloFans01-11-2026
- He won't have a neck problem until he's older and arthritis kicks in lil guy !frieders301-11-2026
- Yep I find any way possible to not have other listen to Bob and VandeVelde commenting on a bike race. His annoying wrong predictions and irritating chuckle are mute worthy!frieders301-11-2026
- 20 winners for 3rd year in a row!Lozza31-10-2026
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