Team Lapierre International's Cédric Ravanel will be out of early season racing action after a recent crash.
The 31-year-old Ravenel had the misfortune of taking a serious spill during a training camp with the French Team. He broke his collarbone and is expected to have to take 30 to 45 days off his mountain bike while the injury heals.
"I know that this is not a major injury, and I will train hard on my trainer to be at 100 percent for Dalby Forest, the first round of the World Cup," said cross country racer Ravenel, still optimistic about his season.
Ravenel was ranked 17th in the overall World Cup in 2009.
While Ravanel is recuperating, his Lapierre Interational teammates will start their competitive seasons. Sam Blenkinsop and Sam Flockhart will be racing at Sea Otter in California in mid-April, and Nicolas Vouilloz is packing his bike this week to go to Nepal for the Urge Népal.
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Sue George is an editor at Cyclingnews. She coordinates all of the site's mountain bike race coverage and assists with the road, 'cross and track coverage.
