Philip Deignan’s (leading) climbing power closed down the breakaway and saw him pull clear in a late escape on stage 2 of the Tour Down Under. Word has now emerged he had broken his collarbone and will be out of action for some time.
By Shane Stokes
Philip Deignan’s chances of being at the start line of the Giro d’Italia in Ireland have taken a knock after the Donegal rider crashed in training and fractured his right collarbone.
The injury follows the fractured left collarbone he suffered during last September’s Tour of Britain, and will see him off the bike for an undetermined length of time.
Deignan crashed near his base in Monaco while preparing for this week’s Ruta del Sol and has now returned to Ireland.
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“The medical team have taken a good look at it and we’ve decided not to have surgery, so I’m back home in Donegal now getting ready to go again,” he said in a team statement.
“My collarbone’s a lot more mobile than the last time this happened so I’m hoping I’ll be back on the bike sooner rather than later. It’s frustrating more than anything else when something like this happens. I was happy with the way things went at the Tour Down Under and I was looking to continue building my form at the Ruta del Sol.”
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The team’s doctor Alan Farrell – who is also Irish – said that the date he can return to action is as yet uncertain.
“Collarbones to tend to heal quite quickly but it’s difficult to say at this point exactly how long he’ll be out for,” he said.
However the signs are encouraging. “This particular fracture is not a bad one though. We’re confident he will be back on the home trainer in the next few weeks, and then racing again once the injury has healed sufficiently.”
The Giro d’Italia starts in Belfast on May 9th, 81 days from now. While Sky’s team for the race hadn’t been finalised, Deignan had been tipped to take part. It remains to be seen how today’s news affects his chances.
The 30 year old Irishman will hope to return to competition sooner rather than later, and to build the necessary form to take part. Riding the home trainer will help him to preserve as much of his form as is possible.
He’s staying upbeat, despite the uncertainty about his programme. “It’s not the end of the world,” he said. “It could have been a lot worse, so I’m trying to look at it in a positive way.”
If Deignan ultimately does miss the Giro d’Italia, there could be a silver lining; providing he can reach a strong level of form, the climbing specialist could force his way instead onto Sky’s Tour de France team. He is yet to start cycling’s biggest event.
He won a stage and finished ninth overall in the 2009 Vuelta a España.
Deignan was cursed at the end of last season; seen here after breaking his collar bone in the time trial stage of the Tour of Britain, forcing him out of the World Championships when he was in great form and looking forward to supporting Dan Martin and Nicolas Roche.
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