X-rays reveal World Champion's injuries

X-rays at the General Hospital of Cecina revealed Saturday morning that World Champion Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) sustained a sustain a fracture during his crash earlier this week. The Quick Step rider crashed on a wet descent in the fourth stage of the Vuelta al País Vasco on Thursday, and was forced to pull out of the race after he attempted to race a further 20km. In addition to a severely bruised hip, Bettini fractured his eighth left rib.

"Yesterday, I was pretty sure that my left hip was broken," he said. "I suffered a lot in these two days, I have pain everywhere, but today I’m a little bit more optimistic. Last year I rode more then two weeks at the Giro with a broken rib; I've got the habit."

"I don't know if I will be able to ride Amstel, Flèche and Liège," said Bettini, who starts physiotherapy Monday, "but I want to do my best to come back as soon as possible."