Bermuda's top cyclist Kris Hedges will be out of action for three weeks after a fall left him with a shattered collarbone and severe road rash.

Hedges, who has been based in France since the start of the year, was on a training ride with his VC Pontivy team-mates when he tumbled off his bike.

He broke his collarbone in four places and sustained deep road rash to his head and body with three deep lacerations, including one on his hip that has gone right through to the muscle.

Hedges was detained overnight in hospital and is now recuperating in the team flat and is expected to be out of action for at least three weeks.

The injuries have come at a particularly frustrating time for the young rider, who moved to France ? in a deal set-up by former national coach Phillipe Mauduit ? to take his cycling to the next level after three years with the Snow Valley team in the United States.

The lay-off has come slap bang in the middle of the French season with Hedges having just completed some strong performances in the four-day La Tour Nivernais-Morvan.

As well as disrupting his domestic season, the injury will now have ruined any chance ? however remote ? of a trip to Greece in the summer.

It has been revealed that Hedges had applied for a wildcard for the Olympics in cycling, although even if that were to come through, it would now be too late for him to get into the requisite shape and form.