CYCLING:Lance Armstrong suffered a broken right collarbone when he crashed out of a low-profile race in Spain today - casting doubt on his ability to compete in the Tour de France and the Tour of Ireland in August. The seven-time Tour winner suffered a fall on stage one of the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon.
Several other riders were involved in the accident, which happened about 20km from the end of the 170km stage on a section of narrow roads.
The Astana rider was taken by ambulance to the Rio Carrion hospital in Palencia before being transferred to Valladolid University Hospital. X-rays confirmed
the extent of the damage.
Depending on the severity of the injury, it could call into question Armstrong’s much-heralded Tour de France comeback this summer.
The 37-year-old won the last of his titles in cycling’s most famous race in 2005, after which he announced his retirement from the sport.
His plans to compete in the Giro d’Italia are under even more threat.
It is approximately six weeks to the start of the Giro, which lasts from May 9th to 31st, while the Tour runs from July 4th to 26th.
Even if Armstrong recovers in time to race in France, the injury will severely disrupt his preparation, while there will be doubts over whether it can withstand 21 gruelling stages covering a total distance of 3,500km.
Armstrong’s Astana team-mate Levi Leipheimer revealed the crash ruined what had been a promising ride for Armstrong.
He said on his Twitter feed: “Lance was involved in a huge crash as the road narrowed and became very rough. He wasn’t far from the front, as he was riding top 10 all day.”
Team leader Johan Bruyneel saw cause for hope, though, reporting on his feed: “Clean collarbone fracture without complications. Should be fast recovery.”
Armstrong confirmed his return to professional cycling in September last year. He made his comeback in the Tour Down Under in Australia in January.
He won his first Tour title in 1998, less than three years after being diagnosed with testicular cancer, the disease later spreading through his whole body.
The American was declared cancer-free in 1997 after brain surgery and chemotherapy treatment.