Dowsett looking for swift return from broken elbow

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Despite breaking an elbow at last week’s Dreidaagse Van West-Vlaanderen, Alex Dowsett (Team Sky) is confident he can make a speedy return to the peloton.

The Brit crashed on the final stage while lying in 10th on GC. He immediately pulled out of the race but was unaware of the broken bone. He then drove himself back to the UK, from Belgium, before a family member took him to hospital.

“I had a lie down on the side of the road, got picked up and put in the team car. I could move my elbow so I tried to convince myself it was okay, and my car is automatic. I knew that with my haemophilia that I was best treated in England at the Royal London hospital. My sister took me to A&E when I got home.”

“I’ve had a plate and six screws to help put my elbow back in place. I think it’s a very similar injury to Michael Barry’s. It’s a bit of downtime and then hope to get on the turbo fairly quickly and then get up to speed again,” Dowsett told Cyclingnews after his operation.

Dowsett has already targeted a place in GB’s Olympic team. The national time trial champion is eligible for either the time trial or the road event, where he would aim to support Mark Cavendish. Dowsett has already helped Cavendish secure success this season, helping him win Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne last month.

And while the elbow break is a setback, Dowsett believes it could in fact help his season in the long term.

“I think it’s just a hurdle,” he said.

“These things happen and I think sometimes these things happen for a reason. Like in 2010 when I broke my shoulder, or last year when I had my ankle problem, I was able to come back a lot stronger. I don’t see why this should affect the middle to late part of my season. It might even benefit it.”