Steele von Hoff's Commonwealth Games campaign is in jeopardy after a crash which has left the Victorian road cyclist with four cracked vertebrae.
The 30-year-old, named on Tuesday to debut in April's Games as part of a 36-strong cycling team, is understood to have crashed during a criterium later that evening in Melbourne.
On Thursday, von Hoff posted a picture on Instagram, smiling and giving the thumbs up while wearing a neck brace in hospital.
"Took a tumble at Sandown and ended up in the @thealfredhospital with 4 cracked vertebrae. Road to recovery for @commgamesaus begins now," he wrote.
He will have some inspiration close at hand in his recovery efforts, with fellow road talent and Commonwealth Games cycling team captain Mat Hayman boasting a war story of his own.
The veteran fractured the radius bone in his right arm just two months before winning the famed Paris-Roubaix in 2016.
Now 40, Hayman will wear the green and gold for Australia in April's road race on the Gold Coast, with von Hoff writing on Instagram he hoped to "channel my teammate (and) pull off a Mat Hayman".
Mitchell Docker, Alexander Edmondson, Cameron Meyer and Callum Scotson round out the men's road team, with Meyer also selected to race on the track.
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