Mathias Frank of BMC crashed on a training ride in Southern California. The BMC rider mostly suffers from road rash and the team doctor was able to exclude the possibility of a concussion after Frank’s heavy crash.
The mishap happened on a very windy day in the greater Los Angeles area, halfway through a five-hour ride. “I wanted to put on my vest on the descent when a gust of wind blew me off balance and I crashed,” Frank said. “At the moment everything hurts but these things happen.”
In addition to the road rash on both legs and his right hand, he also suffered from a laceration on his left elbow. Team doctor Max Testa was happy to report that Frank did not suffer any head injuries. “Even though Mathias wore a Bell helmet, he still hit the ground very hard. Nevertheless, he was able to remember everything that happened before and after the crash. This is a very good sign and eliminates the possibility of a concussion,” Testa said.
Sufficient rest is now the top priority for Frank. “He will be under surveillance for the next 24 hours and then we will decide if further examinations may be necessary”, Testa explained.
Frank started his racing career with Gerolsteiner and moved over to BMC after Gerolsteiner folded at the end of 2008. In 2008 he won the GP Triberg-Schwarzwald and in 2007 he was the Swiss time trial champion (in the U23 category, as naturally Fabian Cancellara won the elite race). In his time riding for BMC he has won the overall classification of the Grand Prix Tell.