Colbrelli required defibrillation following his collapse on March 21, shortly after he had sprinted to second place on the stage.

His Bahrain Victorious team confirmed Colbrelli had been suffering from an unstable cardiac arrhythmia.

Bahrain Victorious released a statement today, saying Colbrelli had undergone a clinical cardiovascular evaluation coordinated by Professor Domenico Corrado, director of the Genetic Cardiomyopathy and Sports Cardiology Unit of the University of Padua.

The unit is an Italian centre of excellence for diagnosing and treating arrhythmogenic heart muscle diseases.

Bahrain Victorious said Colbrelli underwent successful surgery on Thursday (March 31) to have an ICD implanted, following the results of the clinical evaluation.

"In Padova, the athlete underwent comprehensive clinical, genetic and imaging evaluation to identify the cause of the arrhythmia that led to cardiac arrest and the most appropriate therapy," said Professor Corrado.

"The decision to implant a life-saving device has been shared by Colbrelli who received a subcutaneous ICD.

"The device works to correct the rhythm of the heart if it’s needed in extreme cases."

The Bahrain Victorious team said Colbrelli has returned home to continue rehabilitation.

The team has encouraged the public to respect Colbrelli’s privacy.

Colbrelli is the reigning European and Italian national champion.

Danish football player Christian Eriksen is among the most notable athletes to have been fitted with an ICD device.

Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest during the Euro 2020 tournament last year.

Eriksen was unable to continue his career in Italy due to Serie A medical regulations, but has since continued his career in England and made his return to the Danish national team in last week’s international break.