Halpin, front left, before disaster struck yesterday (Photo: Larry Hickmott www.velouk.net)
Stephen Halpin (Metaltek SCOTT) has had a set-back on his return season from injury, suffering a broken collarbone in a crash during the latest British Premier Calendar race.
The Dubliner, who has enjoyed a number of wins on Irish roads this year after a difficult couple of seasons ruined by injury and illness, was a faller in the Stockton Cycling Festival Road Race in Stock-on-Tees yesterday, Sunday.
“I was going for one of the intermediate sprints, just behind the Sigma guys who were leading somebody out, and when I went to kick my chain slipped and I went over the handlebars,” Halpin told stickybottle.
He said the medical advice he has received so far suggests the break is a bad one, with the left collarbone snapped and badly displaced.
Advertisement
“The hospital I went to in the UK didn’t want to operate on it. I’ll see a specialist here (in Ireland) on Wednesday. If they can operate I could be back training in two weeks. If not, it’s ten weeks and that’s the end of my season.”
Halpin said he was very disappointed with the crash, coming as it has after missing April through illness and suffering in the An Post Ras as a result.
“I was really hoping to do something on Sunday to prove myself to the team so we’ll just have to see now how it goes.”
That’s a bitter blow for Halpin who has won a number of races on home soil this year and was hoping to have a strong latter half of the season in order to secure a ride for next year. While those plans are now up in the air, if he could be operated on he still has time to rescue the situation.
Related News
“I could ride the Suir Valley Three Day and then there’s another Premier Calendar and then the team is riding a tour in Trinidad & Tobago in September.”
Ireland’s Peter Hawkins fared better yesterday and while he came down at one point he was uninjured and managed to grab another strong placing in the Premier Calendar. He took fifth place in the gallop to the line from the lead group, with the win going to Raleigh’s Graham Briggs.
Hawkins, in his first year with IG Sigma Sport, had already secured 2nd, 13th and 6th in the three Premier Calendar rounds he had ridden of the five up to Sunday; with his 5th in the penultimate round at the weekend now lifting him to 4th overall in the series with just one race remaining.
Briggs wins with Hawkins in the background in 5th
Result
1. Graham Briggs, Raleigh GAC
2. Scott Thwaites, Endura Racing
3. Marcel Six, Scott Metaltek
4. Chris Opie, UK Youth
5. Peter Hawkins, IG Sigma Sport
6. Marcin Bialoblocki, Node 4 Giordana
7. Ian Bibby, Endura Racing
8. Adam Duggleby, Sportscover
9. Ben Grenda, Rapha Condor Sharp
10. Richard Lang, Rapha Condor Sharp
Series Standings
1 Scott Thwaites Endura Racing 429
2 Marcin Bialoblocki Node 4 – Giordana 306
3 Russell Downing Endura Racing 275
4 Peter Hawkins IG Markets-Sigma Sport 212
5 Chris Opie Team UK Youth 207
6 Ben Grenda Rapha Condor Sharp 187
7 Marcel Six Metaltek Scott 179
8 Pete Williams Node 4 – Giordana 174
9 Graham Briggs Team Raleigh-GAC 166
10 Jonathan McEvoy Endura Racing 154
Topics
