Earlier today Team BMC Racing announced that Alessandro Ballan underwent additional surgery last week to remove his appendix and scar tissue from a previous operation.

Ballan underwent surgery on the night of February 6 after the stomach pain he had experienced since the day before did subside. "Because the pain wasn't that intense and continuous I thought it was a digestive problem," Ballan himself explained from the hospital bed and added "On Wednesday night the pain became very intense so I went to the hospital."

BMC Racing Team Chief Medical Officer Dr. Max Testa said doctors performed exploratory surgery which found adhesions had formed where Ballan's spleen was removed in December following the crash that fractured his left leg in two places and also caused a rib fracture.

"The surgery to remove the adhesions and his appendix was very successful and he is doing well," Dr. Testa explained.

The BMC Racing Team is hoping the additional surgery incurred won't affect Ballan's schedule for the 2013 pro cycling season.

"I do not think this will impact the original timetable we had for him (Ballan) to return to racing in four months. But he will stay off the stationary bike for a couple weeks."

Ballan himself told Roadcycling.com that while these health frights have worried his family, everything has returned to normal now. "From now on, I want to look forward to the future and riding with my teammates again," Ballan said and concluded "No more hospitals anymore."