Luke Roberts broke his hip while training (Image credit: Bjorn Haake)
By Bjorn Haake
Luke Roberts fractured his hip just before getting ready for the Challenge de Mallorca. He sustained the injury during a training ride after his arrival on the Spanish island. Roberts had surgery on Monday in Palma de Mallorca and has started physical therapy. He will be out for several months but is in good spirits for a comeback in the second half of the season.
Roberts arrived on Mallorca last Saturday and went out for a short ride with a teammate. "At an intersection there was some confusion between us on the direction we had to take – unfortunately we had opposing thoughts." The two got tangled up together and fell. Roberts sustained the worst injury in the low-speed crash, breaking his hip.
Roberts contacted Cyclingnews from the hospital in Palma, where doctors performed the surgery. "They put three screws in the head of the femur."
On Wednesday, Roberts started with his rehabilitation programme. "I can now stand up and walk slowly with the help of crutches. However, it could take about two months until I am walking normally." Roberts is aware that it will be a long road to recovery, but the Australian is "determined to be fit for the second half of the season."
