Movistar confirms setback for Uijtdebroeks after Valenciana crash

Movistar have confirmed that Cian Uijtdebroeks has suffered a fissure to the radial head of the left elbow following his crash at the Volta Comunitat Valenciana on stage 3. 

The Belgian was able to finish the stage, over ten minutes behind the winner, AJ August (Ineos Grenadiers), but confirmed to Sporza shortly after that stage that he felt something in his hand. 

The 22-year-old made his debut for the Spanish team at the Volta Comunitat Valenciana and became the first Belgian to race for Movistar’s men’s squad since Jürgen Roelandts in 2020, who is now a sports director at the team.

Roelandts had said to Het Laatste Nieuws that “We’re having X-rays taken at the hospital now, but we fear there may be a small fracture in the wrist.”

It has now been confirmed by Movistar on Tuesday morning that Uijtdebroeks has suffered a fissure to the radial head of the left elbow, essentially a thin non-displaced crack in the top of the radius bone, which is typically categorised as a Type 1 radial head fracture. 

“Following the crash during Stage 3 of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, and after further medical evaluation and diagnostic tests, a fissure to the radial head of the left elbow has been identified, requiring active rest,” read Movistar’s statement. 

Uijtdebroeks, who now requires active rest, had been scheduled to participate in Paris-Nice, which begins on March 8, but it remains to be seen what impact this injury has on the Belgian rider’s schedule.