Badly bruised arm means light training for Telenet-Fidea star; still expects to ride Roubaix on Sunday
Tom Meeusen (Telenet-Fidea) suffered no fractures in his big crash during Saturday’s cyclocross World Cup Race in Koksijde, Belgium, his team has confirmed. The 24-year-old was one of a number of riders to come down on a particularly fast muddy corner, made slick by persistent rain on the sand dune course, but his was arguably the most serious. Meeusen’s teammate Bart Wellens was the first high-profile rider to come down at that point, while Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Revor) lost contact with the race leaders as he came down there late in the race.
It was also at that point where a slip from Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) allowed Sven Nys (Landbouwkdrediet-Euphony) to come past him, and the Belgian champion jumped away to take victory a few moments later.
All of those that came down managed to remount, and Meeusen eventually went on to finish the race, in a disappointing 13th place, but was forced to miss Sunday’s Superprestige race in Gieten, Netherlands. After paying a visit to his physiotherapist today, Meeusen has confirmed that he sustained only heavy bruising to his right arm.
"At this moment I still can’t move my arm,” he said. “It’s still swollen, but there is no breakage, but everything I do gives me pain. My arm is taped up to my armpit, which is no fun. On the other hand, I’m happy that it’s not too serious.”
His badly bruised arm is the second injury that has seen Meeusen forced to sit out races, after a spectacular fall in Zonhoven - another sand dune course - on November 4th saw the usually skilful bike handler damage his ribs. That saw him miss two weekends worth of racing; he hopes that will not be the case this time.
"A few days rest and it will undoubtedly be much better,” he explained. “Until then, I’m doing the minimum; intensive training is not currently possible. Yesterday - Sunday - I didn’t ride at all, today I did it an hour, leisurely, and the same tomorrow. This means I’ll miss the group training in Lichtaart again. I’m just trying to stay busy and not lose too much condition.”
Despite his injury, Meeusen has once again been named as one of the nine Belgians to start the fourth round of the World Cup, at the iconic Roubaix Velodrome on Sunday, January 2nd; he fully intends to be fit enough to start.
"I have six days to recover,” he said. “That will definitely succeed. I would like to thank [national coach] Rudy De Bie for including me in his selection again, I regard that as a vote of confidence.
“I suppose he that my race in Koksijde, up until my crash, was not bad,” Meeusen reasoned. “Afterwards I could no longer defend my chances, but we know why.”