Arkea Samsic sprinter Nasser Bouhanni suffered a concussion after falling during training at the team's preseason camp in Spain.

The French team said Bouhanni fell yesterday and "lost consciousness slightly." He was taken to a hospital in Benidorm, where his brow was stitched and he underwent further tests.

Bukhani was scheduled to start his 2022 campaign at the Tour of Saudi Arabia, which runs from February 1-5, but it is not known how his fall and concussion will affect his early season program.

The 31-year-old will begin his third season with a professional team and will take on the Clasica de Almeria and the Drome Classic in late February before his big early season goals in March: the Tirreno-Adriatico and Milano-Sanremo.

Last season, Bouhanni broke his hand when he deviated from the line at the Choret Pays de la Loire, driving Groupama-FDJ's Jake Stewart into the barrier.

Bouhani later revealed that he received racist abuse for the incident, and Stewart and Groupama-FDJ sent messages of support.

He returned to racing in the summer and competed in his fourth Tour de France, taking three podium finishes, including second place on stage 4.

The severity of Bouhanni's concussion has not been disclosed, but the injury could have a significant impact on the athlete's career.

Ian Boswell retired from road racing in 2019 after suffering long-term symptoms from his sixth career concussion at Tirreno-Adriatico.

Last month, Trek-Segafredo's Ellen van Dijk spoke about her struggle with the after-effects of the concussion she suffered in Paris-Roubaix Fam.

"I still can't run at normal training times or intensity. Sometimes I think I'm doing really well and then I have a day off completely and I can't train. I'm still juggling both, but it's getting better," she said.

In late 2020, the UCI announced that it had adopted a "concussion protocol" following the crash in which Romain Bardet was diagnosed with a "small hemorrhage" on his brain after riding 90 km in the Tour de France.

The protocol, which can be read here (opens in a new tab), recommends that the first arrivals at the scene of a crash, whether team staff, athletes, or doctors, check for signs of concussion, such as dazed, difficulty balancing, headache, altered vision, and slurred speech. It is recommended that.

Further evaluation is also included in the protocol, as is a recommended time period before the rider can return to racing.