Taaramae fractures elbow after recovering from illness

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Following a rather promising start of the season, where he achieved two top three placings, Rein Taaramae experienced a second batch of bad luck at the Vuelta Castilla y Leon last week. After having been diagnosed with mononucleosis (glandular fever) in mid-March, the Estonian Cofidis rider returned to competition at the Spanish stage race, but he crashed and fractured his elbow.

"A scan revealed an incomplete fracture of the radial head of the left elbow," Cofidis team manager Eric Boyer said in a press release.

The rider's elbow, however, will not be plastered, and Taaramae is currently able to do recuperation exercises and training on the rollers. "In ten days, he'll be able to start up training on the road again, and return to competition in three to four weeks time, depending on the healing process," Boyer added.

Last year, the 24-year-old won a stage at the Vuelta a Espana. Taaramae's biggest objective this year is the white jersey of the best young rider at the Tour de France.