Ethan Hayter’s ambitions for the early season and spring have been derailed by a crash at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, with a fractured collarbone meaning he is unable to ride for Great Britain at next week’s European Track Championships in Grenchen, Switzerland.
The talented Ineos Grenadiers rider made his season debut at the Tour Down Under alongside his younger brother Leo and Geraint Thomas. Rain during the opening time trial slowed Hayter’s overall ambitions and he then helped Magnus Sheffield secure fourth overall.
He was looking to bounce back at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race but then crashed hard in the sprint as Marius Mayrhofer (Team DSM) emerged to win.
Ineos Grenadiers told Cyclingnews that Hayter underwent successful surgery on a fractured collarbone in Australia before travelling home. He is being monitored by the team’s medical staff during a recovery and rehabilitation phase ahead of a return to training.
Great Britain confirmed Hayter would miss the European Track Championships due to injury, naming Dan Bigham, Ethan Vernon and Ollie Wood as leaders of the Endurance squad. Will Tidball replaces Hayter, with Charlie Tanfield returning to track racing after illness, while Will Perrett will compete in his first major event as a full-time Great Britain rider.
Fred Wright will also make his European Championships debut with Great Britain after his impressive 2022 season on the road. He is currently riding the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana in Spain with Bahrain Victorious.
Hayter is not expected to be part of Ineos Grenadiers’ cobbled Classics squad, with stage races and the Itzulia Basque Country on his initial calendar.
Hayter’s 2022 season was disrupted COVID-19 but he won six races, including the British time trial title and the overall classification of the Tour de Pologne.
He was forced to leave the Vuelta a Espana due to a second bout of COVID-19 but recovered to finish fourth in the World Time Trial Championships despite a gear problem and bike change. He also finished ninth in the road race.
