Plate and screws removed from bone fractured in Tour de France crash
Image 1 of 2
Frank Schleck will target the Tour and the Classics(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
Jens Voigt stops to check on Frank Schleck, who abandoned the Tour with a broken collarbone after falling on the cobbled sector.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Fränk Schleck has had the plate and screws removed from his left collarbone. He had fractured the bone in three places when he crashed on the pavé on the Tour de France's third stage in Belgium.
The Luxembourger, who now rides for Leopard Trek, left the team training camp in Mallorca a day early so that he could have the surgery on January 20.
"Everything went well, even though it has been a busy couple of days,” he said in a team press release. “I left camp on Wednesday evening, though I was able to get a training ride in during the morning and early afternoon.
"Then with the late night arrival home, I barely had a full night’s sleep before I went into surgery early Thursday morning. But now I have a few days to recover, and will be on my bike again by Sunday.”
The 30-year-old had to undergo a full anaesthetic for the operation, which he said was still affecting him. “I’m still a bit sleepy from the trip and the anaesthesia,. But the plate and six screws were removed. I am still in a bit of pain, but that is normal since it is really quite a big effort to get in there to take out all the hardware.
"By Sunday I should be fine and fully riding a normal routine on Monday.”
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
