UPDATE FROM BMC CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER DR MAX TESTA
9 August 2016 AEST
"At this stage, no surgery is required as the fracture will heal with time.
"Richie will need a minimum of ten days off the bike, following which he can train on the rollers before working his way up to training on the road. He should be able to train normally in four to six weeks.”
"He should be able to train normally in four to six weeks.”
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Porte crashed and initially looked he had suffered a similar fate to compatriot Simon Gerrans only a few weeks ago, with the Tasmanian clutching at his shoulder which made it look like a possible collarbone break.
Climbing into an ambulance to be taken away for scans, revealing a fractured scapula for Porte, ruling him out of the time trial.
"We were away with a small group on the descent and on one of the corners I came around and there was a guy on the road who crashed and I had nowhere to go,” Porte said. “It was fortunate a tree stopped me from going over the side."
"I’m bruised and battered and sore and I'm disappointed but lucky I’m not worse off.”
“I hit it with a fair bit of speed and it’s really disappointing because the guys were good all day looking after me and then for this to happen, it hurts.”
It was a day of bad luck for Porte as he also had two mechanicals over the cobbled section of the earlier circuit, having to expend a bit of energy to get back on.
The crash left Simon Clarke as the only Australian representative left in the race. Scott Bowden had already pulled out after some strong domestique work and Dennis pulled out at a pre-arranged point as the race reached the final circuit to allow him to rest up for the time trial on the 10th.
Vincenzo Nibali (Italy) was also on the injury list, crashing alongside Sergio Henao (Colombia) whilst leading the race on the final descent and breaking his collarbone.
