Mikkel Honoré already eyes late summer return despite a horrific racing crash just a week ago
Cycling
No, it's not a season to remember at EF Education-EasyPost with at least four riders in the infirmary. The most recent addition to the unavailable list is Mikkel Honoré - the 29-year-old Dane crashed hard in the final phase of Heistse Pijl, suffering a dozen fractures and a collapsed lung on the day of teammate Noah Hobbs' breakthrough first professional victory.
The Belgian race was nearing its end when, with 6 kilometers to go, Honoré rode directly into road furniture, unable to avoid it as the peloton moved at high speed in the urban environment. He was taken directly to intensive care unit to map out the extent and treat the worst of his injuries.
EF Education-EasyPost DS for the race, Sep Vanmarcke listed the injuries afterwards: "Mikkel is stable, but he has broken seven ribs, three vertebrae and his collarbone. He is also dealing with a collapsed lung. That is very tough and it will be a long recovery."
The Danish rider was highly likely to race the Tour de France this summer and his injuries come as an obstacle to the American team's ambitions. The focus now shifts towards the end of this summer, hoping to be back in action towards the end of August, Feltet reports.
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According to the Danish outlet, Honoré will undergo a surgery to treat his collarbone fracture as soon as possible while letting some of his other injuries heal up naturally.
Will we still see Honoré return to his best in 2026?
Just like most of the American team, Honoré's season up until this point has not been much to talk about, but this massive setback could certify 2026 as Honoré's worst year in a very long time.
In 2021, Honoré drew attention with the podium finishes at Bretagne Classic and Clasica San Sebastian, but has since taken up a role of a teammate who occasionally displays those signs of brilliance, just like with his 12th place at brutal World Championships in Kigali, or a top-3 atop Nongla at Tour of Guangxi last year.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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