Lance Armstrong falls in race; taken to hospital

[ejr]

CNN.com is reporting that Lance Armstrong fell during a race in Spain, and was taken to a local hospital.

Hope all is ok and they are being overly cautious.

[ph4ever]

Dallas Morning news is reporting he may have injured his collarbone

[LIBuffettFan]

I guess this could put a major kink in his return to the sport, I hope he is okay.

[Capt.Flock]

waiting for him to twitter but his device is in the team car

[blackjack]

Hope the docs don't inject him with steroids!

[Capt.Flock]

Broken collar bone

[East Texas Parrothead]

Bummer. I've been following this all morning on VeloNews ... s*cks ... but, collarbones are easier to bounce back from than wrist/hand fractures .... glad his legs weren't involved.

This is so odd because he usually has all the team around him to prevent just this kind of thing from happening.

[Tequila Revenge]

He went down during the Tour of California too. I can't fathom trying to ride with a collar bone injury.

[Tequila Revenge]

Armstrong breaks collarbone, will have surgery
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090323/ap_ ... a2fy4DW7oF

BALTANAS, Spain – With the road narrowing and cyclists piling up in front of him, Lance Armstrong tumbled hard off his bike. He was left with a broken collarbone that will need surgery and questions about whether he'll be able to contend for an eighth Tour de France title in July. "I'm alive!" he wrote on his Twitter feed. "Broken clavicle (right). Hurts like hell for now. Surgery in a couple of days. Thanks for all the well wishes."

Armstrong will fly back to the United States after being knocked out of the first stage of the Vuelta of Castilla and Leon stage race in Spain.

"The crash has put my upcoming calendar in jeopardy, but the most important thing for me right now is to get back home and rest up and begin my rehab," he said in a statement.

Armstrong is scheduled to compete in the Giro d'Italia from May 9-May 31, then the Tour de France from July 4-26.

"I think for the Giro it's a very big problem," Armstrong said as he left Valladolid University Hospital. "For now, the biggest problem is just the pain."

Armstrong won seven straight Tours from 1999-2005 before retiring. He returned after 3 1/2 years, and at 37 was hoping for another triumphant ride through Paris.

Astana team leader Johan Bruyneel said on his Twitter feed there were no complications in the break, and suggested Armstrong could be riding soon.

"Clean collarbone fracture," Bruyneel said. "Should be fast recovery."

Added Astana spokesman Philippe Maertens: "We are confident he can still race the Tour de France, of course. He will be off the bike, but he can still do condition training."

Armstrong was tossed off his bike during a pileup 12 1/2 miles from the stage's finish Monday. The Texan was grimacing and trying to hold his right arm as he entered an ambulance.

"I've never had this happen before; it's pretty painful," he said. "I feel really miserable."

After falling off his bike, Armstrong sat in the grass beside the road, his right shoulder slumped and his wrist resting on his right thigh. When help arrived, he motioned toward his right shoulder. Armstrong eventually walked to the ambulance and climbed into the back.

Astana teammate Levi Leipheimer described the pileup on his Twitter feed.

"Lance was involved in a huge crash as the road narrowed and became very rough," Leipheimer wrote. "He wasn't far from the front, as he was riding top 10 all day."

Armstrong said the crash was no one's fault.

"Toward the end of the race people started getting excited, a bit of wind, some hills and everybody wanting to be at the front," he said. "A couple of guys crashed in front of me, I crossed my wheel, then I hit them and over the top."

Armstrong was first taken to Rio Carrion hospital in Palencia, then to the hospital in Valladolid. In his statement, Armstrong said he had "been lucky to avoid one of the most common cycling injuries" in his 17-year career.

"It has been a pity to lose Lance because we see him with desire of doing a good preparation in this race," said Alberto Contador, Armstrong's teammate and biggest rival for the role of team leader. "Now only I can support him and wish him to recover as soon as possible in order to take the start on the Giro."

This was Armstrong's first stage race in Europe since winning the 2005 Tour. Armstrong started his comeback at the Tour Down Under in Australia in January, where he finished 29th overall, 49 seconds behind winner Allan Davis of Australia. He then finished seventh in the Tour of California in February.

On Saturday, Armstrong raced in the Milan-San Remo cycling classic and finished 125th, 8 minutes, 19 seconds behind winner Mark Cavendish.

The mainly flat first stage of the Castilla and Leon covered 109 miles from Paredes de Nava to Baltanas. It was won by Joaquin Sobrino Martinez of Burgos Monumental in 4 hours, 31 minutes, 53 seconds after a sprint finish. He was followed by David Vitoria of Rock Racing and Jose Joaquin Rojas of Caisse d'Epargne.

[SMLCHNG]

Dang.

[East Texas Parrothead]

Lance is tough. If anyone can come back from a break, he can. He really wanted to ride the Giro d' Italia, but this puts it into jeopardy ... it'll be interesting to see that happens. The sport has such high visibility when he rides. Hope he gets to compete this summer.

[Tequila Revenge]

Lance is tough. If anyone can come back from a break, he can. He really wanted to ride the Giro d' Italia, but this puts it into jeopardy ... it'll be interesting to see that happens. The sport has such high visibility when he rides. Hope he gets to compete this summer.

It may change his role in the Tour? He wanted to WIN the Giro this summer.

I was in Santa Rosa a couple weeks ago and stopped by a bike shop that was on the street for the first stage race of the TOC. EVERYONE in the store had photos or videos of Lance and Levi riding the streets of Santa Rosa. Bicycling royalty rode throgh NO CAL. Very cool to listen to their stories. Wait until next year

[docandjeanie]

What a shame

[East Texas Parrothead]

Lance is tough. If anyone can come back from a break, he can. He really wanted to ride the Giro d' Italia, but this puts it into jeopardy ... it'll be interesting to see that happens. The sport has such high visibility when he rides. Hope he gets to compete this summer.

It may change his role in the Tour? He wanted to WIN the Giro this summer.

I was in Santa Rosa a couple weeks ago and stopped by a bike shop that was on the street for the first stage race of the TOC. EVERYONE in the store had photos or videos of Lance and Levi riding the streets of Santa Rosa. Bicycling royalty rode throgh NO CAL. Very cool to listen to their stories. Wait until next year

I know. He had the Giro in his sights. He doesn't have that notch on his belt.

When I went to the TdG in 2005, EVERYONE was there to see Lance. It was amazing. I was tickled to see so many kids there ... and Lance did take time to sign their stuff, as much as he could.

If he rides TdC next year, I hope to be there for a few stages. Can I buy you a drink?

[Tequila Revenge]

Lance is tough. If anyone can come back from a break, he can. He really wanted to ride the Giro d' Italia, but this puts it into jeopardy ... it'll be interesting to see that happens. The sport has such high visibility when he rides. Hope he gets to compete this summer.

It may change his role in the Tour? He wanted to WIN the Giro this summer.

I was in Santa Rosa a couple weeks ago and stopped by a bike shop that was on the street for the first stage race of the TOC. EVERYONE in the store had photos or videos of Lance and Levi riding the streets of Santa Rosa. Bicycling royalty rode throgh NO CAL. Very cool to listen to their stories. Wait until next year

I know. He had the Giro in his sights. He doesn't have that notch on his belt.

When I went to the TdG in 2005, EVERYONE was there to see Lance. It was amazing. I was tickled to see so many kids there ... and Lance did take time to sign their stuff, as much as he could.

If he rides TdC next year, I hope to be there for a few stages. Can I buy you a drink?

Hell yes After all, it IS THE BIGGEST SPORTING EVENT IN THE ENTIRE STATE We even have Shiner in the grocery stores now

[Tequila Revenge]

Astana says Armstrong will be in Tour de FramceBy CIARAN GILES – 1 hour ago

PALENCIA, Spain (AP) — Astana manager Johan Bruyneel is confident that Lance Armstrong's broken collarbone will not prevent him from taking part in either the Giro d'Italia or the Tour de France.

Bruyneel says he doesn't think "this changes anything for the Tour de France." He says a broken collar bone in March doesn't mean Armstrong won't be ready for the Tour de France in July.

Armstrong stayed in Bruyneel's house in Madrid on Monday night before flying out Tuesday to the United States for possible surgery on his collarbone.

Armstrong broke his collarbone Monday after a pileup in the first stage of the Vuelta of Castilla and Leon race in Spain.

[LIBuffettFan]

I'm glad to hear he will still be able to compete this year. I had heard some mention that they thought with the surgery he would be done for the season. Whether your a cycling fan or not he brings something to the sport which as Sports Illustrated said last month is much needed.

[Bicycle Bill]

Lance was able to KO cancer and ride again. A collarbone? He'll probably be back on the bike within two weeks; with or without doctor's approval.
Heck, I broke an arm and had to have surgery (plate and screws in the area of the shoulder) and was back riding — granted, not in competition — within two months.

BTW, the orthopedic surgeon thought I was nuts, too. OTOH, my regular doctor (who has a background in sports medicine) knew me better than that.

-"BB"-

[ph4ever]

Armstrong gets plate, 12 screws in collarbone

By JIM VERTUNO
AP Sports Writer


AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- His broken collarbone surgically mended, Lance Armstrong is on the clock. The seven-time Tour de France champion will be back on his bike in days even though the bone may take eight to 12 weeks to fully mend. Armstrong must resume training almost immediately if he's to meet his goal of racing in the Giro d'Italia, which begins May 9.

The 37-year-old American cyclist also plans to ride in the Tour de France this July.

Surgeon Doug Elenz inserted a stainless steel plate and 12 screws to stabilize the broken collarbone on Wednesday, two days after Armstrong crashed in the first stage of the Vuelta of Castilla and Leon race in northern Spain.

MORE

[East Texas Parrothead]

I hope he doesn't push it too hard ...

What is amazing is that this is his first real injury in a very long career of racing.

If he rides the TdF, I'm going to be there ... if I have to mortgage Maggie the dog, Mr. Mathews and my 1957 D-18 Martin!