Óscar Pereiro will have a surgery on his right wrist this Friday in Vigo, Spain. The Astana rider was picturing himself winning a stage in the Vuelta a España, then retire after 11 years as a professional bike rider. But just like his win 2006 Tour de France win was delivered to him unceremoniously months after crossing the finish line in Paris, Pereiro is quietly bowing out of the sport through the back door. He had to cancel his appearance at a race in Valencia on October 3.
The Spaniard rider missed the Vuelta, due to his wrist injury. He has since been trying conventional treatment, to no avail. "After a month of therapy, with ultrasound sessions, electrical currents, paraffin and massages, the progress that the doctors had hoped for did not materialize," Pereiro says. "There is nothing else left to do other than surgery."
Pereiro is still suffering from his horrific 2008 Tour de France crash, where he broke his arm. Spanish trauma specialist Carlos Irisarri will perform the procedure. "He will smoothen out the bone, where a cyst has formed since the crash," Pereiro says. This will free the tendons that currently prevent full movement for Pereiro.
Despite the nearing retirement, Pereiro would have liked to continue his bicycling activities. "It has been a real pain, because due to this injury I couldn't be active, like I wanted to. I won't be able to ride the Criterium Internacional de la Comunidad Valenciana, on October 3, like I promised to Javier Castellar." Castellar was a professional from 1984 to 1988, mostly riding for the Kelme team.
Pereiro turned professional in 2000 with the Portuguese Porta da Ravessa team. In 2002 he switched to Phonak, with which he stayed until 2005. He switched to Caisse d'Epargne and immediately won the Tour de France, after the doping disqualification of Floyd Landis. He stayed with Caisse d'Epargne until 2009, but did not return to his previous form following the 2008 crash. He was set to retire last year, but received a contract from Astana in the 11th hour.