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Team Sky new boy Kristoffer Halvorsen out of season-opening Tour Down Under

DOHA, QATAR - OCTOBER 13:  Kristoffer Halvorsen of Norway celebrates victory as he crosses the line to win the Men's Under 23 Road Race on Day Five of the
Image: Kristoffer Halvorsen's Team Sky debut ended in injury

New Team Sky signing Kristoffer Halvorsen will miss this week's Tour Down Under after breaking his hand in a fall on Sunday.

Halvorsen was bidding to contest the final sprint in the People's Choice Classic in Adelaide, the 50.6km race which precedes the first WorldTour race of 2018.

Although the young Norwegian did not go down heavily, his right side bounced off the barriers on a number of occasions as he tried to stay up and later scans showed a fracture.

Team doctor Richard Usher said: "Kristoffer was taken to hospital after the stage and, unfortunately, it's been confirmed that he has fractured a bone in his right hand, so he won't be able to race in the Tour Down Under.

"The next step will be to consult with the specialists and ensure we manage the injury properly."

The race was due to be Halvorsen's WorldTour debut with Team Sky, who he joined last year after an impressive set of results with ProContinental outfit Team Joker.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 14:  Peter Sagan of Slovakia and Bora-Hansgrohe celebrates after crossing the finish line to win the People's Choice Classic
Image: Peter Sagan celebrates victory in the People's Choice Classic

Fellow debutant Chris Lawless was the best Team Sky finisher in the reduced bunch sprint, coming home in sixth behind world champion Peter Sagan.

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Sagan came out on top of a battle of the peloton's sprint stars, with Andre Greipel finishing second and home favourite Caleb Ewan coming in third.

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