Janorschke has elbow fractures from Paris-Roubaix crash

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Grischa Janorschke was involved in one of the most spectacular crashes in Paris-Roubaix, and is now paying the price for it, with fractures in his elbow. The NetApp rider has now had three bad crashes and two operations within the last four weeks. He is already out of hospital but doesn't know when he will ride again.

Janorschke, 24, was in the escape group during Paris-Roubaix, heading into the cobblestones of the Forest of Arenberg. He promptly punctured and “at 50-.55 km/h on a slightly descending cobblestones” it was virtually impossible to avoid crashing.

First reports from the scene showed no major problems, but on Sunday evening he was checked out at the Süd Klinikum Nürnberg in Germany.  “There an operation removed a ruptured bursa and unfortunately they also found a splintering in my elbow as well as a fracture in the head of the radius,” he told Cyclingnews, still “kaputt and groggy” in hospital.

The German was glad to have made the large escape group, as the team had especially wanted to be in it. “In the beginning it was a really big fight, nearly every team wanted to be represented and especially for the teams without a top favourite, it is a chance to be in the front of the race and to show your presence," he said.

His first major crash of the season was in the Ronde van Drenthe, where he broke his collarbone. Exactly four months before Roubaix, it was fixed with a plate and nine screws. A crash at the Scheldeprijs gave him stitches in the back of the head, but didn't throw him back. “I worked very hard to be at the start of Paris-Roubaix in halfway good form. It was my first WorldTour race and being at the start fulfilled a small personal dream,” he told Cyclingnews.

Janorschke now has to wear a plaster cast on his right arm for a week and then consult with the doctors as to when he can train and race again. “It is of course very irritating and difficult that after this newest injury I must start from the beginning again, but fortunately the season is long and I hope one day to be rewarded for my determination.”