GVA Broken Ankle

[MattTuck]

PARIS (AFP) — Belgian Olympic road race champion Greg Van Avermaet is to undergo surgery on a fractured ankle, his BMC Racing team said on Monday.

A statement on the team website said, he will, “undergo surgery to secure a small, non-displaced, distal left fibula fracture, that he sustained two days ago while training on his mountain bike.” The surgery was to take place Monday.

A winner of stages on the past two editions of the Tour de France and always fancied in the one-day classics, the 31-year-old had an impressive run in 2016. He won the overall at Tirreno-Adriatico after a mountainous stage 5 was cancelled. He also won stage 5 at the Tour, the Olympics road race, and the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal.

BMC said Van Avermaet would be back in time for the start of the 2017 season. He is set to have surgery in Antwerp on Tuesday and will be out of the saddle for up to four weeks.

“I am confident that this injury will not interfere with Greg’s objectives for the 2017 season,” said BMC doctor Max Testa.

I'm not sure I believe that last part, unless his objectives for the 2017 season are later than usual.

[45K10]

I'm not sure I believe that last part, unless his objectives for the 2017 season are later than usual.

Yep I don't buy that either. Although base training isn't what it used to be

[weisan]

>>sustained two days ago while training on his mountain bike.

Paging Peter Sagan...

[JStonebarger]

If it was truly non-displaced the surgery was probably to allow him to train sooner.

[GonaSovereign]

A non-displaced fracture can be relatively minor and quick to heal.

In comparison, I've experienced a trimalleolar, displaced (as in: everything snapped, foot pointing 180 degrees the wrong way, hanging on by the meat) ankle fracture. It was a couple hours in shock, a couple hours in surgery putting in bolts and plates, one terrible next day, two bad days, a couple weeks of doing nothing, four weeks of rest, six weeks of rehab, and first race six months later.

GVA will be much more pro than I was.

[FlashUNC]

Max and the BMC were part of the effort to get Taylor Phinney back on the road.

I'd tend to think he knows what he's doing.

[shovelhd]

His doctor is Magic Max. He'll be fine.

[chiasticon]

pro cyclists are insane. or at least have some serious magic helping them out. I'll remind you of Dumoulin breaking his arm in the tour and training (on the road) four days later. then taking second in the Olympic TT a couple weeks after that. or what about Contador fracturing his tibia in the tour, then winning the Vuelta?

[bobswire]

Well I once fell of a 10ft overhang above a concrete deck headfirst and did the only thing I could do,extend my arms to take the brunt of the fall, broke both wrists and fractured an elbow. Drove myself 17 miles to an emergency hospital (btw the truck was a 3/4 ton 4x4 double floor shift) and I was back to work in two months doing construction. Not to toot my own horn but you do what you have to do to pay the bills.