Garmin Barracuda’s David Millar underwent an operation this morning to try to speed his recovery from the fractured collarbone he sustained yesterday.
The Scot was part of a group of riders who crashed on the approach to the Boigneberg climb, approximately 70 kilometres from the finish of the E3 Harelbeke race. They ended up in a ditch and several were taken away by ambulance.
Commenting on the crash, Millar has said that he regrets missing a key part of his race programme. “I'm obviously terribly disappointed. The beginning of my season was based around the next three weeks of racing, starting with today,” he stated yesterday evening.
“Its a big blow to have to bow out in this way, but I'll have surgery and after that, focus on my recovery and take it day by day.”
Millar is likely to be out several weeks, although Italian rider Filippo Pozzato managed to return to competition nine days after crashing in the Tour of Qatar. Depending on how his return to form progresses, he will likely be a strong contender for a place on Garmin Barracuda’s team for the Tour de France.
He could also compete in the London Olympics if, as expected, the Court of Arbitration for Sport sides with the World Anti Doping Agency in its bid to overturn the British Olympic Association’s lifetime ban for those who have served long doping suspensions.
A decision is expected on that soon.
Millar said that he will remain focused and ambitious about 2012. “I still have a lot of goals for the season and, at this point, just have to look ahead."