Former U23 world champion in hospital
Former world under 23 champion Dmytro Grabovskyy has shown a good return to form this year after alcohol problems threatened to end his career, but faces several weeks off the bike due to a bad crash on Sunday in his Italian base of San Baronto.
The Ukrainian rider had returned from training, had changed into regular clothes and went to ride a short distance to meet a friend. However he lost control of the bike and fell, landing on his face.
Grabovskyy blacked out and was bleeding from his ear. Fortunately, his accident was seen by others and emergency services were called. He was transported via helicopter to hospital in Florence, where it was determined that he had a head injury and a broken collarbone.
The 24 year old rider is not in any danger, but he will remain in hospital for several days in order to be kept under observation.
Winner of the under 23 world road race championship in Madrid back in 2005, he took a stage in the Baby Giro, the overall classification in the Giro delle Regioni and his second consecutive European TT championship victory the following season.
However he failed to land any significant results during a contract with Quick Step between 2007 and 2008. He was dropped by them and moved to ISD Neri for 2009, but didn’t achieve much. This winter he admitted that he had problems with alcohol and said that he was prepared to knuckle down again.
He was given another chance by the team and has got things in order, racing well again and winning the mountains classification in Tirreno Adriatico.
He and the other riders had hoped to be given a wildcard slot for the Giro d’Italia but they were passed over by the organisers of the race.