Taylor Phinney was set to be a key role player for the Cannondale-Drapac squad at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday. However the American will have to watch from home as he apparently injured his knee on the steps of the team’s bus.

Will not be racing Omloop tmrw. Tweaked my knee yesterday before the recon… Back on ice like the old days ???? definitely bummed. — Taylor Phinney (@taylorphinney) February 24, 2017

The team said Irishman Ryan Mullen will replace the American for Saturday’s race.

Phinney moved from the BMC team, returning to Jonathan Vaughters’ Slipstream organisation, where he began his racing career as a junior when it was still a development team. He was expected to be a big asset for the team’s Classics leader Sep Vanmarcke, who also returned to the organisation this year. Vanmarcke won the 2012 edition of the race while racing for Vaughters’ team, then known as Garmin-Sharp.

The 26-year-old Phinney has battled more bad luck than most during his career, suffering a career-threatening crash at the 2014 U.S. National Championships road race after sliding into a guard-rail while attempting to avoid a motorcycle on a descent.

Phinney began his season last week at the Volta ao Algarve, placing 22nd on the time trial stage.