Soler flown back to Colombia

The Colombian Cycling Federation has revealed that Juan Mauricio Soler is flying back to his home country today (Tuesday), six months on from his life-threatening crash at the Tour of Switzerland. The Movistar rider is due to arrive in Bogotá this afternoon, when he will be transferred to the Clínica Teletón to continue the recuperation from head injuries suffered in that crash.

Informed of Soler’s return to Colombia by his wife, Patricia Flores, the Colombian Cycling Federation’s subsequent statement on the 28-year-old Colombian said: “Soler’s recuperation at his home in Pamplona, Spain, is ahead of expectations. This is great news for the cycling family as 2011 comes to a close.”

Soler, winner of the King of the Mountains title at the 2007 Tour de France, crashed on the sixth stage of Switzerland’s national tour in mid-June. He hit a curb and flew into a fence, suffering a severe head trauma and cerebral oedema, plus multiple fractures and bruising. He was placed in an induced coma to aid recovery. The following month he was flown to his Spanish base in Pamplona, where he spent four months in hospital before being allowed to return to his home there in October.