By John Trevorrow
Australian Davitamon - Lotto rider Nick Gates has broken his left ankle in an off season training accident. Gates was doing some cross training last Wednesday, when he stepped into a hole and fractured the ankle. He is now in a fibreglass cast up to his knee and will remain so for six weeks.
"At first I thought it was just torn ligaments," Gates said. "They X-rayed it and didn't pick up the break. By the end of the week it was getting worse. I went back and saw another doctor. I said, 'Listen doc you better take another look at this.' And he said, 'How did they miss this, the end of the talus bone is broken off!'"
Gates will be out of action for a month and a half. "It's going to be six weeks in plaster up to my knee," he said. "It comes off second week in December. It will certainly slow down my early season preparation, but that mightn't be all bad. You've got to stay positive."
