# Armstrong injured



## ColinJ (23 Mar 2009)

There is talk over on BikeRadar about Lance Armstrong ending up in a ditch on the first stage of the Vuelta a Castilla y León. He's been taken off in an ambulance holding his shoulder so it looks like a broken collarbone.

If it is a bad injury, I wonder if he'd bother trying to come back again from that or just retire again for good?

Confirmed on CyclingNews.com.


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## rich p (23 Mar 2009)

ColinJ said:


> There is talk over on BikeRadar about Lance Armstrong ending up in a ditch on the first stage of the Vuelta a Castilla y León. He's been taken off in an ambulance holding his shoulder so it looks like a broken collarbone.
> 
> If it is a bad injury, I wonder if he'd bother trying to come back again from that or just retire again for good?
> 
> Confirmed on CyclingNews.com.



We can but hope!

Old peoples bones take longer to heal too


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## zimzum42 (23 Mar 2009)

Hope he's not in too much pain. The TdF sponsors must be spitting teeth...


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## ColinJ (23 Mar 2009)

zimzum42 said:


> Hope he's not in too much pain. The TdF sponsors must be spitting teeth...


I wouldn't wish pain on anyone, so yes - I hope he isn't too badly injured.

Assuming that the ambulance wasn't purely precautionary, that's Armstrong's Giro scuppered.

He might be back on his bike again in time to do some training for the TdF but it's a severe setback. Contador must surely now be undisputed Astana captain for the tour?


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## zimzum42 (23 Mar 2009)

Looking through the wire reports, it looks like it's serious....


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## Radius (23 Mar 2009)

That's a real shame cos he was making a good go of the comeback at his age...I'm in the non-hater camp for Lance, so I can't say this makes me pleased.


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## zimzum42 (23 Mar 2009)

I really don't want him to win anything, but I don't want to see him injured, just beaten!


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## yello (23 Mar 2009)

zimzum42 said:


> Hope he's not in too much pain. The TdF sponsors must be spitting teeth...



<Gallic shrug>boff..</Gallic shrug>


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## colcazal (23 Mar 2009)

Hope he gets back soon!! I like him and it is good to see him back!

Col


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## roadiewill (23 Mar 2009)

I want to see him at the tour, so I hope it isnt too bad


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## andy_wrx (23 Mar 2009)

Despite being deinitely in the 'haterz' camp, I woudn't want to see any rider hurt.

However, Stuey O'Grady's smashed-up pretty badly (again !), and I'm irritated at the media attention that Lance is getting compared to hardly anything for Stuey...


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## Chuffy (23 Mar 2009)

andy_wrx said:


> However, Stuey O'Grady's smashed-up pretty badly (again !), and I'm irritated at the media attention that Lance is getting compared to hardly anything for Stuey...


If this crash nobbles his TdF plans then it could be a blessing in disguise for those of use with interests in other riders, _any_ other riders. Or will Liggett and Sherwen spend the whole commentary telling us how Lance _would_ have ridden the stage?


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## yello (23 Mar 2009)

I'm beginning to think that I'm the only person on the planet (well, maybe me and tetedelacourse) that doesn't really mind whether LA rides the TdF or not. If he does, I really don't expect him to feature on the leaders board. If he doesn't, the show goes on without one sideshow that's all. There'll be other sideshows.

I do genuinely believe he is riding for the cause... and maybe hoping to do well again. If he starts and finishes, I'd say 'chapeau'.


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## Flying_Monkey (23 Mar 2009)

yello said:


> I'm beginning to think that I'm the only person on the planet (well, maybe me and tetedelacourse) that doesn't really mind whether LA rides the TdF or not. If he does, I really don't expect him to feature on the leaders board. If he doesn't, the show goes on without one sideshow that's all. There'll be other sideshows.
> 
> I do genuinely believe he is riding for the cause... and maybe hoping to do well again. If he starts and finishes, I'd say 'chapeau'.



Actually, I agree entirely. The world has moved on. It will be impressive if he does it, but he's no longer the centre of interest for me. The 'cool kid', as Armstrong called Cav, is much more on my radar as are a number of other impressive emerging riders...

I hope he makes a swift recovery regardless. It is never nice when any rider gets badly hurt.


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## dellzeqq (23 Mar 2009)

it's a broken collarbone - a simple break, apparently. Given that one fnrttc rider rode sixty miles home with a broken collarbone I'd have thought Lance would be back in a couple of weeks.


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## Paul_L (23 Mar 2009)

BBC reporting LA doubtful for TdF.

Which as someone says maybe a blessing.

The media coverage in the Tour this year from day 1 to the Champs Elysees will be about one man and one man alone, irrespective whether he's 1st place in the GC or 191st.

I don't have any problem with him and his comeback even if it's purely to support his charity, but the media need to be proportionate. He's playing the media game to the full potential and fair play to him. It's the media's responsibility to apply a sense check to the coverage.

Interesting that on the BBC sport site yesterday, you had to click on Cycling to find out about Cav winning San Remo.

The Armstrong story is now second headline on the sport main page.


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## Fab Foodie (23 Mar 2009)

yello said:


> I'm beginning to think that I'm the only person on the planet (well, maybe me and tetedelacourse) that doesn't really mind whether LA rides the TdF or not. If he does, I really don't expect him to feature on the leaders board. If he doesn't, the show goes on without one sideshow that's all. There'll be other sideshows.
> 
> I do genuinely believe he is riding for the cause... and maybe hoping to do well again. If he starts and finishes, I'd say 'chapeau'.


+1


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## Dave5N (24 Mar 2009)

dellzeqq said:


> it's a broken collarbone - a simple break, apparently. Given that one fnrttc rider rode sixty miles home with a broken collarbone I'd have thought Lance would be back in a couple of weeks.



Big difference between riding home carefully one handed and doing 120 miles just about every day at 25mph+ whilst riding in a tight group, much of it up (and down) the biggest mountains in Europe.


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## Dave5N (24 Mar 2009)

Lance is hard, no doubt about that. Interesting though that this happened this year so early. He has had a luckily incident career - no threats to any of his TDF victories - is this bad luck or a sign of his decline?


DIYCBA


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## Keith Oates (24 Mar 2009)

With an interuption to his training and preparation for the season this will make it even more difficult for the rest of the season. His chances of doing well in the Giro and TdF were very doubtful in my mind and this must make it even less likely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## mondobongo (24 Mar 2009)

zimzum42 said:


> I really don't want him to win anything, but I don't want to see him injured, just beaten!



+1


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## Dave_1 (24 Mar 2009)

that's a shame...he's had such a run of good luck in his TDF campaigns, could easily have been Luz Ardiden 03 it broke..wasn't...so I guess he has had a great run...hope we see the old dog back for Giro, or Suisse, Dauphine combo pre TDF...


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## John the Monkey (24 Mar 2009)

andy_wrx said:


> Despite being deinitely in the 'haterz' camp, I woudn't want to see any rider hurt.
> 
> However, Stuey O'Grady's smashed-up pretty badly (again !), and I'm irritated at the media attention that Lance is getting compared to hardly anything for Stuey...



True dat. I'm no fan, but as others have said, someone crashing out is never good, regardless of what you think of the rider.


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## mondobongo (24 Mar 2009)

I think Cycling News reporting it as a calamity in their summary is a trifle overkill.


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## Bollo (24 Mar 2009)

As another in the dislikerz camp, there's an element of Schadenfreude about this but I really don't like to see people injured. Also, I'd have liked to have seen him stuffed and mounted in the TdF without any excuses to fall back on.

Just nipped over to velonews and their reporting has avoided the hysterical so far. Anyone come up with a conspiracy theory yet?


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## John the Monkey (24 Mar 2009)

Bollo said:


> Anyone come up with a conspiracy theory yet?


Paul Kimmage on the grassy knoll?

Betsy Andreu in the library with the candlestick?


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## nilling (24 Mar 2009)

I wanted to see Lance ride the Giro - guess that's a real long shot now


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## yello (24 Mar 2009)

He obviously has a low opinion of the photographer.

Didn't know he was left handed either.


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## Crackle (24 Mar 2009)

Got to say, I'm surprised. The Armstrong of old, took no chances. The fact that he got caught might be unlucky or indicative of a different mindset.

I'm disappointed, I wanted to see him compete.


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## andy_wrx (24 Mar 2009)

Crackle said:


> Got to say, I'm surprised. The Armstrong of old, took no chances. The fact that he got caught might be unlucky or indicative of a different mindset.



There were enough quotes from him at the Tour Down Under about staying out of trouble in the opening crit, taking it steady in the pack, no risks, keeping out of crashes.

I remember some stat I read somewhere that said a pro rider doing X miles a year in race conditions, Y miles in training, was statistically likely to be involved in 3 crashes a year.

I guess some of them just remove a bit of skin, some are more serious and involve abandonment from the race and maybe missing a few more, some are serious enough to finish your career.

Perhaps, statistically, Armstrong was just due one.


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## maurice (24 Mar 2009)

I can't see him being out of the tour, they'll pin it and he'll be on the turbo within a week, perhaps even riding within two.

Perhaps a blessing to miss the Giro, as it always seemed a bit outlandish for him to compete in that and the Tour at his age, when previously it was always the one grand tour per year.


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## stoatsngroats (24 Mar 2009)

I'd add that he may have had a hand in bringing many people into cycling, me included (in a small way admittedly), and whilst I don't single him out totally, his media stature has brought cycling to the masses in a big way over the last 10 years or so, imVho!


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## mondobongo (24 Mar 2009)

Sky Sports News!!!!!!!!!!!!! are reporting that Bruyneel has said armstrong will be fit to ride the Tour they go on to say he will be riding the Giro. The Tour maybe I can't see him making the Giro.

Quite funny watching them stumble through the report.


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## John the Monkey (24 Mar 2009)

Jeremy Whittle , Owen Slot (Times)


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## Dave_1 (24 Mar 2009)

He should be on a bike on rollers in a week and on the road by end of week 3, so what April 13th...3 weeks from now...only 1 week off actual training and on April 22 is Giro Del Trentino 5 day and on April 28th-May 3rd is Tour of Romandie... with Giro on May 9th. IMO Lance will be back for one of those and will ride the Giro. From what we read , it's a clean break which is a month to heal..from what i read. I think he needs the Giro , he needs the conditioning from that for TDF. Looks like Alberton C will have Levi as co leader judging by his TTing and climbing this year


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## Crackle (24 Mar 2009)

John the Monkey said:


> Jeremy Whittle , Owen Slot (Times)



The Jeremy Whittle article sums up my thinking.


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## yello (24 Mar 2009)

Dave_1 said:


> I think he needs the Giro , he needs the conditioning from that for TDF.



I reckon you're right. The break (both of bone and in training) probably means - somewhat paradoxically - that he's a cert to start the Giro! Whether he finishes or not is a different matter.


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## Dave_1 (24 Mar 2009)

yello said:


> I reckon you're right. The break (both of bone and in training) probably means - somewhat paradoxically - that he's a cert to start the Giro! Whether he finishes or not is a different matter.



I'd rather see him leave the sport with some dignity, be it the hour record, a podium place at the TDF. I hope he rides and completes the Giro...david Millar's break looks more tricky. Was reading about it on the Garmin team website


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## Crackle (24 Mar 2009)

Guardian's got a video of the aftermath and interview


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## Skip Madness (24 Mar 2009)

> Maybe it was the lingering fatigue from the near 300 kilometre trawl to San Remo that caused yesterday’s crash, or maybe it was just bad luck. But Armstrong doesn’t do crashes — in fact, his renown stems from his avoidance of them. The old Armstrong, particularly when it came to the Tour, usually stayed upright when his rivals fell like ninepins.


None of that really has any bearing on what happens when the two guys in front of you tumble over, does it.

Of course everyone is entitled to think what they want about whether or not Armstrong still has it, but there are few conclusions that can be drawn from his actual performances so far this season, despite Whittle's best contentions. That is a very poor article.


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## Chuffy (24 Mar 2009)

Skip Madness said:


> None of that really has any bearing on what happens when the two guys in front of you tumble over, does it.


Surely experienced racers just don't end up in situations at the back of the pack with numptys taking them out? How many times have I heard Liggett & Sherwen saying that the race leader is in a bad position because he's too far back in the peloton and vulnerable to exactly this kind of occurence...


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## Skip Madness (24 Mar 2009)

Chuffy said:


> Surely experienced racers just don't end up in situations at the back of the pack with numptys taking them out? How many times have I heard Liggett & Sherwen saying that the race leader is in a bad position because he's too far back in the peloton and vulnerable to exactly this kind of occurence...





Cycling News]Lance Armstrong said:


> , was caught up in a crash and was transported to the hospital with a suspected broken collarbone.


From here.[/B]


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## Chuffy (24 Mar 2009)

Skip Madness said:


> From here.


Ah, fairy snuff. I may have been confusing it with reports from Milan-San Remo which mentioned him being dropped and trundling along near the back. But the fact that he's never had a bad accident until now does suggest that he's more vulnerable than ever before. He has a reputation for being in absolute control and an accident goes a long way to denting that image...


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## Dave5N (24 Mar 2009)

Everyone gets the odd bad day. Lance has been lucky. Look at the Beloki crash - he was skilful sure, but it could easily have seen him down if they were closer.


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## zimzum42 (25 Mar 2009)

His twitter says he's seen the doctor and it seems more complex that originally thought...

He also says he's going into surgery tomorrow morning. Good luck!


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## yenrod (25 Mar 2009)

I read the bones fragmented rather than snapped _clean_  obviously he'll be worried about this as its the 1st time he's been 'ill' since that last time.

I done my collar bone once and it ****ing hurts.

All the best to him - mine took 4 weeks recovery - therebouts.

He should go easy, if I was his Dr.


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## Dave_1 (25 Mar 2009)

Skip Madness said:


> None of that really has any bearing on what happens when the two guys in front of you tumble over, does it.
> 
> Of course everyone is entitled to think what they want about whether or not Armstrong still has it, but there are few conclusions that can be drawn from his actual performances so far this season, despite Whittle's best contentions. That is a very poor article.




I agree...it's not the best journalism...I think LA's form is unknown. Just reading his op went well. I reckon he will ride the Giro De Trentino or tour of Romandie rather than go into the Giro with no racing.


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## yello (26 Mar 2009)

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/7961578.stm

LA says of the break....



> "I think the Giro is still very do-able," he said. "It's the biggest setback I've ever had in my cycling career, so it's a new experience for me.



...it's clearly affected his memory too!


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## ColinJ (26 Mar 2009)

yello said:


> From http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/7961578.stm
> 
> LA says of the break....
> 
> ...


I thought that myself, but obviously he's talking about injuries rather than illnesses!


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## girofan (26 Mar 2009)

Never mind all this talk of LA's problem! What about poor Contador? 
I heard he is having a job to continue the race due to misplaced ribs whilst laughing hysterically  when informed of LA's predicament!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## rich p (26 Mar 2009)

girofan said:


> Never mind all this talk of LA's problem! What about poor Contador?
> I heard he is having a job to continue the race due to misplaced ribs whilst laughing hysterically  when informed of LA's predicament!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



 Very good!


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## Keith Oates (29 Mar 2009)

Well if ever there was any doubt about Armstrong's commitment he's back on a stationary bike only three days after the operation.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## yello (29 Mar 2009)

Keith Oates said:


> he's back on a stationary bike



He'll not get far on that


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