McGee could sit out for a month

Brad McGee (Team CSC) is expected to miss at least four weeks of competition after breaking his collarbone on the Giro d'Italia's fourth stage. McGee was disappointed with the injury, which has come at time when he was in top but is hopeful it won't hinder his plans for the Tour de France and Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

"This time it's my right collar bone which I last broke when I was a junior," said McGee, who was on his way to catch a flight back to his European home in Monaco. "I'll limp back and get the doctors there to have a look at it."

The Australian rider crashed in the final 20 kilometres of the stage to Milazzo. The 32 year-old withdrew from the event immediately and was transported to a nearby hospital by ambulance.

"Sitting in the ambulance going to hospital I was not in a good state but as soon as I cleaned up, put a sling on and stood up I thought okay that's done, let's move forward," said McGee.

"I was in super form and I was feeling fantastic," said McGee. "It was my time to 'make hay' and now I've been sat on my arse a little bit.

The Olympic champion hopes the doctors will pun the break, allowing him to race again in a few weeks time. If the doctors decide against pinning it, McGee could be out for a month.

"So it's not so bad and I know the process with these sorts of injuries," said McGee.

It's not the first time McGee has experienced a broken collar bone during an Olympic year. He broke his left collarbone just weeks before claiming an individual pursuit bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.