One week after GreenEdge rider Julian Dean crashed in the Volta a Catalunya and broke his leg, team doctor Peter Barnes has given an update on his condition plus an indication about when the Kiwi can return to training.
“Julian has a fracture at the head of the fibula and a displaced fracture of the lateral part of the upper part of the tibia with the fracture line extending to the knee joint,” he stated. ”This is obviously a direct impact to the lateral aspect of the left knee.”
Dean’s crash occurred in the opening kilometres of the third stage of the Catalan race, with the 37 year old hitting a parked car. Several other riders also went down, but he was the most badly hurt.
He underwent surgery last Friday and this procedure put the fractured tibial fragment back into place. This is now secured by a titanium plte and eight screws. As for the fibulal fracture, it remained in place and therefore didn’t need surgery.
Dean is required to keep his leg immobile for ten days, with a back slab being used for this. After that, he will be encouraged to start moving the knee joint in order to minimize muscle wastage and stiffness.
According to Barnes, Dean is keeping positive, but is going to be sidelined from racing for some time. “He is realistic about his recovery and fitness, having done this before,” he explained. Dean broke his elbow in 2005 and fractured his shoulder this winter.
“I estimate that he may be ready to start gentle cycling on a trainer around the three week mark. Healing of fracture will still take up to eight weeks to get solid.”
Dean had hoped to compete in his fifth Olympic Games but that is looking unlikely. He’ll need to rebuild his fitness prior to returning to racing, then work hard to get back up to his past level.
However Dean is understood to be determined to get back to cycling rather than retiring.
According to his wife Carole, he has been treated very well by his new team. “GreenEDGE have also been outstanding in their level of support to us both. As a wife of a pro-cyclist, I have often been left out of the loop when Julz has gone through similar experiences in the past,” she wrote on his website.
“This time though, GreenEDGE were quick to make contact with me and continue to support us both with sincerity and genuine care. It has made a huge difference to Julian's morale.”