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Horner update: No broken bones, Giro still possible
Chris Horner (Astana) jumped on a plane Friday to return to the United States, but he’s hopeful he’ll be on another flight back to Europe in time to start the Giro d’Italia.
Horner, 37, survived a harrowing crash in Thursday’s fourth stage at the Vuelta al País Vasco when he went sliding under a steel guard-rail and escaped without serious injury.
Initial X-rays taken Thursday evening at a Spanish hospital did not reveal any broken bones, but the veteran American will undergo more examinations upon his return to the U.S.
Astana team doctor Pedro Celaya accompanied Horner to the hospital. The most serious injury was to Horner’s right scapula or shoulder blade.
“We couldn’t see any fracture. The other doctors and I were looking, but we couldn’t see any break. There might be a crack, which is also very painful, but not as serious as a break,” Celaya told VeloNews. “They will take more X-rays when he returns to the States. Sometimes you can see more once the swelling goes down.”
The crash came early in Thursday’s stage when favorites like Luís León Sánchez (Caisse d’Epargne) were attacking from the gun.
Navarro broke a chain and immediately lost speed on the high-speed descent coming off the Urkiola climb.
Horner was right on his wheel and rode straight into the Spaniard. Both went skittering to the ground; Navarro suffered serious cuts and scrapes, but was able to continue, while Horner slid under the guardrail and was forced to abandon.
“It was bad luck, but it was good luck, too,” Celaya said. “He could have been very seriously injured. When I stopped, I was looking for Chris. Where is Chris? He was under the guardrail and almost into the river. He was lucky he wasn’t hurt worse.”
Astana sport director Sean Yates said if the shoulder isn’t broken, Horner should make it back in time for the Giro d’Italia, which starts May 9 in Venice.
“He’s in great shape right now. He also got injured at the Tour of California, but he stayed skinny and came here just flying. He was chasing down breaks (Thursday) with a finger in his nose,” Yates said. “He could have easily been in the top 5 here. After he did his work at Arrate for Contador (on Wednesday), he was sitting with that group at one minute back. Those other guys were all on the red and Chris was just spinning.”
Yates said Astana will be missing Horner in the upcoming classics in the Ardennes.
“It’s a shame he won’t be racing at Flèche and Liège, because he’s really good right now,” Yates said. “You could see how strong he was here. He would have done great in the Ardennes.”
