Questions arise over Sonny Colbrelli's continuation in cycling

As the weeks go by and Sonny Colbrelli's rehabilitation moves forward, more details emerge about the possibilities of his future in the sport.

According to a report by Het Nieuwsblad, it is possible that Sonny Colbrelli will not return to professional cycling. After the cardiac arrest that the European champion suffered after the finale of the opening stage of the Volta a Catalunya, Colbrelli received immediate medical attention which may have saved his life, and last week undertook a surgery to implant a subcutaneous defibrillator which may be very important for the Italian rider in case he were to suffer from a second cardiac arrest.

The European Society of Cardiology has a guideline that states that “patients with an implanted defibrillator cardioverter should avoid sports that pose a risk of collision and activities that could lead to trauma." Het Nieuwsblad point out the well-known example of footballer Christian Eriksen who suffered a hear attack during a game of the football European championships last year, only to be revived on the field and later having had the same operation that Colbrelli has been subject to last week.

The Italian federation does not allow athletes with a defibrillator implant to partipate in races in their territory, but there are not yet indications on whether Colbrelli will be allowed to race internationally due to the sensitivity of his medical status. In the coming weeks more updates should arise concerning the topic.