Belgium rider, Niels Albert looks to World Championships to save 2012 season – Cycling News
After being hit by a car, HTC-Highroad Team’s Niels Albert’s injured his wrist so badly that he could hardly move it. The Belgian Cyclo-cross Champion Albert will now have to miss several weeks of practicing. Nonetheless, he is hopeful to appear in the World Championships 2012.
He was training on the road with his teammate, Radomir Simunek, when he collided with the rearview mirror of a car. He told the media afterwards that something was wrong, as he was experiencing severe pain in his left wrist.
Albert’s Team Manager, Christoph Roodhooft, said that it was clear that Albert might be out of racing for long.
He added, “This can sometimes be a very nasty injury. You need a wrist during 'cross. You have to steer, turn, absorb. He will probably have the cast for two weeks. The key question is: how long until he can race again? We have no idea”.
Albert is a two-time Belgian National Champion and he took his first major triumph at Grote Prijs Pro cycling Neerpelt.
He continued his outstanding performances in the 2007 and 2008 seasons and secured his first International Cyclo-cross victory.
In November 2008, Albert experienced a crash during the Superprestige race in Gavere. He spent several days in proper recovery and came back to cycling after two weeks. Two months following the accident, he snatched the rainbow jersey.
He won the Cyclo-cross World Championships in Hoogerheide in the 2009 season. Recently, the Belgium earned the Gazet van Antwerpen Trophy in Azencross and grabbed the Belgium Elite Cyclo-cross Championships title.
It was diagnosed that there was a crack in the trapezium bone, which will require at least two weeks of plaster cast.
Cyclo-cross racing cyclist, Albert said, “Of course this is misery. I had already said in September that I first wanted to peak in late November”.
Sorrowfully, he will miss at least two racing series, Hasselt-Gavere (November 19-20) and Koksijde-Gieten (November 26-27).
Albert is inclined to fully concentrate on both, the Belgian and World Championships for his next season. Both the events will be held in January. He added, “It seems logical to me more than ever to focus on the championships”.
If he continues his effort after recovery, there is a possibility that he can win both, the Belgian and the World Championships in 2012.
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