Team BMC rider Alessandro Ballan is out of intensive care following serious injuries sustained in a training ride crash while descending the Coll de Rates before Christmas.
More than a week ago he underwent surgery to repair his broken left leg and remove his spleen. He also suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung.
The 33-year-old 2008 World Road Race Champion was coming down the Coll de Rates climb near Parcent toward the end of a four-hour training ride when he crashed at high speed.
"Every day I am getting better. Now it's easy," 2008 world champion Ballan said in a statement from his hospital bed, according to Eurosport.
"I am very happy because I have a lot of supporters, not only in Italy, but around the world. A lot of people are thinking of me in this moment and I am very happy and appreciative of all of them."
BMC chief medical officer Max Testa said no release date has yet been established for Ballan, who had been due to ride at the Tour Down Under in Australia from Jan. 20-27 and has been replaced by Ivan Santaromita.
"The doctors who are overseeing his care at the hospital saw enough improvement that he's been moved to a regular care room. There have been no complications from the surgeries," said Testa.
According to his team, after being taken to a local hospital by BMC Racing Team Dr. Dario Spinelli, Ballan was diagnosed with a mid-shaft, displaced fracture of his left femur, a fracture of his ninth rib and some abdominal trauma.
"The broken rib actually made a small puncture in his lung," Dr. Testa said. "The first priority is the spleen injury – that is considered a medical emergency, " he added at the time.
There are delays outside Ipswich after a large boat got stuck....
Should there be a united Ireland? Should we come out of the echr? Was Brexit a success? Was truss given a fair chance?
I'm 17st and after a disastrous failure with a cheap rim and a mild failure of a branded rim (both less than 50% worn) I tried Ryde Andra 30 CSS...
Yes. And the time passed and the publicity often mean the bandwagon has moved on by the time a judgment is handed down....
tbf its better than it was 25+ years ago, I always hated using that underpass by the tube station, and would get off a stop early and walk further...
When it comes to bollards, some drivers just cannot resist a challenge.
"Not waterproof Might not work with your fingering technique" Phrasing!
I have to say I've had the bog standard Garmin HRM for 10 years or so now, used several times per week, and it's still working perfectly
Thanks, that's the target. Or I could get a big hat.
But remember, most people drive huge SUVs now, 2-3 tonnes. Whilst I hold that thought, it mainly seems to be small blonde females behind the wheel...