Alessandro Ballan (BMC Racing) has suffered a fractured femur and three fractured ribs, according to a report on tuttobiciweb.it. The 2008 World champion was reportedly taking a drink while riding on the final day of the BMC Racing Team’s training camp in Dénia, Costa Blanca, Spain, when he came down. He hit a rock at the side of the road, where he sustained his injuries.
Ballan was due to return to Italy, along with new teammate Daniel Oss (Liquigas-Cannondale), but will remain in hospital in Spain, where he is being kept under observation.
Ballan’s results have been a little quiet since taking his rainbow jersey in 2008, but, having taken third in both the Ronde van Vlaanderen - a race he won in 2007 - and Paris-Roubaix this year, he returned to winning ways at the Giro della Toscana at the end of April. The second half of his season began with another victory, as he took the Queen stage of the Eneco Tour on the Muur van Geraardsbergen.
The Italian will once again have been targeting the Spring Classics, but these - and much of the rest of the season - now look in serious doubt.