Roulston Hopes Crash Does Not Stop Him Racing Spanish Tour

Hayden Roulston hopes the knee he injured racing in Italy over night will not stop him racing in the Spanish Grand tour, the Vuelta a España, in ten days time.

Hayden Roulston winning Denmark stage 6 (Photo: cyclingphoto.eu; click to enlarge)

The 200 kilometre Tre Valli Varesine was marred by a crash involving a number of riders but Roulston is clear, he wants to still be on the start line for the seasons last Grand Tour in Spain.

“There are no broken bones so I still hope to race the Vuelta,” he said.

The crash happened with 40 kilometres to go after riders in front of the Kiwi rider crashed into a barrier.

“We were full gas and the barriers were in the middle of the road – it was a mass pile up of riders.”

Roulston’s knee required 18 stitches and today he was flying to Hamburg where his HTC-Columbia team doctors planned to have a good look at the deep gash to his leg.

“There is a big gaping hole so I want to get the leg looked after and plan things from there. There is a still lot to look forward to.”

The double Olympic medallist is in the New Zealand team for the Commonwealth Games in India in October and is a likely starter at the UCI World Road Championships in Melbourne Australia on October 3.

He is also lining up in the Powernet Tour of Southland in early November.