Another bad break for Page

By Brecht Decaluwé

Jonathan Page's cyclo-cross season has been dealt another blow, with the American finding out he has broken three ribs. The broken ribs are a souvenir from Page's heavy fall at Superprestige 6 in Diegem, Belgium last month.

Despite the heavy fall in Diegem on December 28, Page had been racing in Belgium and Switzerland in recent days with the breaks going undiagnosed. Page was determined to fight on, but wife Cori advised him to pull out of the Swiss event and seek medical opinion.

"More bad news," said Page. "I still had lots of pain from the Diegem crash [and] finally went to a doctor in Switzerland. Three broken ribs [and I've] been racing like that. No wonder I couldn't breathe or pull up on the bars."

The news follows on from revelations Page missed anti-doping controls at the World Cup round in Koksijde in November. The rider is still awaiting the outcomes from the United States Anti-Doping Agency's enquiries to see if it will hold a hearing into the matter. Should USADA decide to hold a hearing, Page will return to the United States when required.