Mike O'Connor
Australian cyclist Sarah Gigante has undergone another operation as she continues her long recovery from the broken femur that brought her breakthrough 2025 season to an abrupt end.
Writing on Instagram, the AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step rider revealed doctors had identified the source of the persistent pain that has slowed her rehabilitation. Rather than the fracture itself, she said the problem was linked to the surgical hardware used to stabilise the injury, prompting a further procedure.
Gigante enjoyed the strongest season of her professional career in 2025, finishing third overall at the Giro d’Italia Women before placing sixth at the Tour de France Femmes. Her campaign was cut short in August after she suffered a serious femur fracture in a training crash.
Nearly 10 months later, the 25-year-old said her recovery has been far more complicated than she had expected.
After early signs of progress, Gigante said her rehabilitation eventually plateaued, despite months of dedicated training and recovery. She explained that repeated medical assessments ultimately showed the fracture was healing, but the pain was instead being caused by the way the fixation hardware was interacting with her leg.
Although she has regained the ability to complete longer endurance rides, Gigante said harder efforts have remained too painful, preventing her from returning to racing.
The latest procedure is intended to resolve those issues before she resumes rehabilitation. Gigante said her immediate focus will be on recovering from surgery before gradually returning to indoor training, with the goal of finally putting the injury behind her.
Mike O’Connor – A keen cyclist, runner and photographer, Mike O’Connor is the Editor of Bicycling Australia. He manages the BA website and social media, and loves promoting the achievements of Australian cyclists.
