The German professional cyclist Max Walscheid from the Team Jayco AlUla broke his elbow in a crash during the Dwars door het Hageland race on Saturday. The 32-year-old was operated on by Dirk Tenner at the ATOS Clinic in Cologne on Sunday morning, where his arm was stabilised with a plate and screws. Walscheid's participation in the Tour de France, which starts on 5 July in Lille, is severely jeopardised by this injury. The sprinter realistically rates his chances of starting as very low, but wants to utilise the minimal remaining chance and tackle the healing process with full commitment. Walscheid posted on Instagram that he would have liked to have signed many Panini stickers at the Tour, but that this is now questionable. The German emphasised that he was aware of his responsibility both to the other riders in the peloton and for his own long-term future.
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Healing process crucial for Tour participation
The coming days will be crucial for Walscheid's recovery process. He must keep the injured joint mobile and have lymphatic drainage to stimulate healing and reduce swelling. If the healing process goes surprisingly quickly and well, Walscheid would still like to take part in the Tour de France. "I'm just up for the race," he told cycling-news.com. Walscheid has become an important part of Dylan Groenewegen's sprint train at Jayco AlUla in recent months and has played a key role in all three of the Dutch top sprinter's victories this season. His absence would therefore be a huge blow for the Australian team.
Pavement shortcut caused a mass crash
Walscheid explained in an interview with cycling-news.com also the circumstances that led to the momentous crash. On the approach to the first gravel sector of the Belgian one-day race between Aarschot and Diest, the battle for position became hectic. "I was in a good position, well in front, but then some riders rode over the pavement to the front again and when they squeezed in, there was a crash," reported Walscheid. Once again, behaviour in the peloton that is forbidden according to UCI regulations, but is too rarely punished, had triggered a mass crash. The German immediately sensed that something was wrong with his elbow. He was first taken to a local Belgian hospital, where X-rays were taken and a plaster cast was applied. From there, his team then took him to the ATOS Clinic in Cologne for further treatment.
Responsible handling of the injury
Walscheid emphasised that he was aware of the risks that a premature return to racing would entail. "If you're riding around with an injury that hasn't healed 100 per cent, that's never good - further risk of falling, not being fully resilient. I don't want to set a bad example and risk my health where it's not appropriate," he explained. The professional cyclist plans to seek advice from experts who can better assess his situation. If there is a long-term health risk, he will not make any rash decisions. Walscheid is grateful to the surgeon Dirk Tenner, who operated on him immediately on Sunday morning "out of turn", thus gaining valuable time in the healing process.
Impact on the Jayco AlUla team
A possible cancellation of Max Walscheid for the Tour de France would pose a major challenge for the Jayco AlUla team. In recent months, the German has developed into a key rider in Dylan Groenewegen's sprint train. His experience and strength have been instrumental in the Dutch top sprinter's three victories this season. However, he would not be the only one to drop out of the team, which announced just a few days ago that it would not be able to count on the participation of Micheal Matthews has to do without. Signs of a pulmonary embolism were discovered in Mathews, which is why races for the rider have been cancelled until further notice.
Leon Weidner
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