Omega Pharma-Quick Step has revelaled that its rider Tony Martin may require surgery on a fractured cheekbone he sustained on a training ride near his home in Switzerland yesterday when he collided with a car. The unfortunate German rider is the fourth professional cyclist to be injured in an incident with a car so far this month.
In a statement, the Belgian team said: “According to preliminary reports, Tony hit a car with his bike and lost consciousness after impact.
“He was immediately transported to the local hospital in Munsterlingen, (SUI). Tony was diagnosed with a fracture on his cheek bone that possibly needs surgery.
“Tony was transported by ambulance to the University Hospital in Zurich this morning. His clinical condition is stable. In agreement with the team medical staff, today Tony Martin will undergo further specific examinations that will define the treatment he will need at that point.
“Tony's clinical condition is being constantly monitored by the hospital staff and the team's medical staff,” the team added. “Tony's family is with him. Further updates will be released soon.”
The 26-year-old, who beat Great Britain’s Bradley Wiggins and defending champion Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland to win the world time trial championship in Copenhagen in September, is among the favourites to take Olympic Gold in the discipline in London this August.
News of the incident comes less than a fortnight after another of Omega Pharma-Quick Step’s star riders, Levi Leipheimer, broke his leg when he was struck by a car while training in Spain ahead of the Tour of the Basque Country. That incident which occurred on April 1 happened only hours after separate incidents in which the Australian rider Shane Perkins and the Russian Ivan Kovalev were both struck by cars in separate incidents in the Australian city of Melbourne while training for last week's UCI World Track Championships.
13 thoughts on “Tony Martin suffers fractured cheekbone after collision with car”
another pro nailed by a car.
another pro nailed by a car. what is going on recently?
My thoughts exactly
My thoughts exactly russyparkin! Three in about as many weeks. I am sure that statistically this is not that unusual but i don’t remember as many pros getting hit by motor vehicles as this over such a short period before.
If you read the police
If you read the police statement, it sounds like he hit the car rather than being hit by it.
Either way, not a good end result, but hopefully he’ll be back on two wheels soon.
As tragic as this all is it
As tragic as this all is it is a statistical anomaly
I am sure and not a campaign to wipe out pro riders.
Notice none of them are
Notice none of them are Brits, could be Seb Coe’s plan to guarantee gold for the home team???
Plus Fab’s collarbone.
Plus Fab’s collarbone. Marginal gains… 😕
Pure speculation, but I did
Pure speculation, but I did wonder if it could be a Jan Ullrich type accident (hit back of a team car while out training iirc and went through the back window).
Right …. just got to get
Right …. just got to get Cadel Evans to drive into my car as well and my Wiggo bet in looking nailed on!!
Now where does Valverde train? 👿
what ever came of that driver
what ever came of that driver that hit J.A. Flecha in the Tour last year?
Kicked off the tour – not
Kicked off the tour – not sure if he was charged with anything – doubt it. He reckoned JAF was softer than the that tree.
Hmmmm. World Time trial
Hmmmm. World Time trial champion, who beats Cancellara at every opportunity last year, hit by a car near his home in Switzerland, at the same time that Fabian Cancellara is at home with his family ‘getting some rest’.
Coincidence I’m sure….. 😉
It’s a new training craze
It’s a new training craze designed to make everyone man up. You have to fall off at least once a week. If you don’t, your team-mates are authorised to push you off when riding with you.
“lost consciousness after
“lost consciousness after impact” that is quite some bang.