Operation needed for haemophiliac British time trial champion; will be out at least three weeks
Alex Dowsett (Team Sky) faces an operation on his right elbow after fracturing it in a crash in Sunday’s second and final stage of the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen – Johan Museeuw Classics. The British time trial champion was brought down by a crash on the slippery Steenstraat section of cobbles with just over 50km to go in the 186.5km between Nieuwpoort and Ichtegem, landing heavily.
The 23-year-old was in ninth position overall, following a strong performance in the opening prologue time trial, but was unable to finish the race.
“Although I knew it was a big hit, after the race I felt well enough to drive home,” said Dowsett on the Team Sky website. “But it got worse on the way back and when I got in my sister took me to A&E and that was that. The X-ray clearly shows a break.”
The fracture needs an operation, but this is complicated by the fact that Dowsett suffers from haemophilia – a condition that prevents blood from clotting properly – he was transferred to the Royal London Hospital, where they have experience with his condition.
“Alex is having the elbow fracture plated in an operation there on Monday afternoon,” Team Sky doctor Richard Freeman confirmed, “and you would then normally expect him to be out for three weeks.”
Dowsett, who has had a strong start to 2012, including a big contribution to World champion Mark Cavendish’s victory in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, and was scheduled to ride the Criterium International on March 24th-25th; while he will miss that race, he is managing to look on the bright side.
“At least with it being my elbow this time I can maintain my fitness on the turbo [indoor trainer – ed] and that’s where the real pain will really kick-in!” he joked.