Cyclist Lance Armstrong is treated in Spain after breaking his collarbone in his first stage race in Europe since winning the 2005 Tour de France.
BALTANAS, Spain – With the road narrowing and cyclists piling up in front of him, Lance Armstrong tumbled hard off his bike.
He was left with a broken collarbone that will need surgery and questions about whether he’ll be able to contend for an eighth Tour de France title in July.
“I’m alive!” he wrote on his Twitter feed. “Broken clavicle (right). Hurts like hell for now. Surgery in a couple of days. Thanks for all the well wishes.”
Armstrong will fly back to the United States after being knocked out of the first stage of the Vuelta of Castilla and Leon stage race in Spain.
“The crash has put my upcoming calendar in jeopardy, but the most important thing for me right now is to get back home and rest up and begin my rehab,” he said in a statement.
Armstrong is scheduled to compete in the Giro d’Italia from May 9-May 31, then the Tour de France from July 4-26.
“I think for the Giro it’s a very big problem,” Armstrong said as he left Valladolid University Hospital. “For now, the biggest problem is just the pain.”
He won seven straight Tours from 1999-2005 before retiring. He returned after 3 1/2 years, and at 37 was hoping for another triumphant ride through Paris.
Astana team leader Johan Bruyneel said on his Twitter feed there were no complications in the break, and suggested Armstrong could be riding soon.
“Clean collarbone fracture,” Bruyneel said. “Should be fast recovery.”
Added Astana spokesman Philippe Maertens: “We are confident he can still race the Tour de France, of course. He will be off the bike, but he can still do condition training.”
Armstrong was tossed off his bike during a pileup 12 1/2 miles from the stage’s finish Monday. The Texan was grimacing and trying to hold his right arm as he entered an ambulance.
“I’ve never had this happen before; it’s pretty painful,” he said. “I feel really miserable.”
After falling off his bike, Armstrong sat in the grass beside the road, his right shoulder slumped and his wrist resting on his right thigh. When help arrived, he motioned toward his right shoulder. Armstrong eventually walked to the ambulance and climbed into the back.
Astana teammate Levi Leipheimer described the pileup on his Twitter feed.
“Lance was involved in a huge crash as the road narrowed and became very rough,” Leipheimer wrote. “He wasn’t far from the front, as he was riding top 10 all day.”
Armstrong said the crash was no one’s fault.
“Toward the end of the race people started getting excited, a bit of wind, some hills and everybody wanting to be at the front,” he said. “A couple of guys crashed in front of me, I crossed my wheel, then I hit them and over the top.”
Pima player is hitter of week
Pima Community College softball player Kaity Ingram has been named the conference hitter of the week after going 11 for 14 (.786) at the plate.
She helped the Aztecs (41-7, 14-2) go 4-0 last week. She leads the team in hitting at .500 (52-104).
Pima will host Arizona Western College for a conference doubleheader Tuesday at noon at the West Campus.
Citizen Staff Report
2 in Pac-10 advance in CBI
The Pac-10 is down to only one team in the NCAA Tournament – Arizona – but two conference teams have advanced in the College Basketball Invitational.
Oregon State edged Vermont 71-70 in overtime and Stanford beat Wichita State 70-56 on Monday night. Unfortunately for the Pac-10, the two will meet in the semifinals Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Richmond faces UTEP in the other semifinal game. A best-of -three championship series begins Monday.
The Associated Press
No T.O. at Bills camp
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – T.O. was a no-show Monday for the start of the Bills voluntary offseason conditioning program.
That didn’t stop his new teammates from eagerly awaiting Terrell Owens’ arrival – whenever that might occur – and even getting in a laugh or two.
“I’m really excited about meeting the guy,” center Geoff Hangartner said. “I’ve heard he’s a great teammate.”
The Associated Press
Van Gundy loves Ewing
NEW YORK – Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy loves having Patrick Ewing on his staff. He can’t figure out why the New York Knicks don’t want him.
Van Gundy criticized the Knicks on Monday night for failing to give Ewing, the franchise’s career scoring leader, a coaching job in the organization.
“I’m not trying to needle anybody or tell them their business,” Van Gundy said after Orlando beat the Knicks 106-102. “What’s amazing is they honor the guy, I don’t know, every year. They honor him, but while they’ve got a lot of ex-players in their organization, they’ve never made any move to try to hire him. That to me is amazing.”
The Associated Press
NUMBER
5
Big East Conference teams in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA basketball tournament.
No. 1 Pitt (East)
No. 3 Villanova (East)
No. 3 Syracuse (South)
No. 1 Louisville (Midwest)
No. 1 Connecticut (West)
After crash, Armstrong eyes Tour
QUOTABLE
'We're showing that we're a lot better than what people thought.'
CHASE BUDINGER,
UA junior forward, on the Wildcats' Sweet 16 run
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ON THIS DATE
1975: Muhammad Ali knocks out Chuck Wepner in the 15th round to retain the world heavyweight title in Cleveland.
1980: Louisville beats UCLA 59-54 to win the NCAA basketball title.
1991: Dean Smith becomes the first coach to win regional titles in four different decades when North Carolina beats Temple 75-72 in the East Regional of the NCAA basketball tournament.
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SPORTS SOUND-OFF
Too bad Dunlap, Pennell can’t stay – or can they?
Re: Coaching duo spurs Wildcats to Sweet 16
• Mike Dunlap and his staff and the players have turned into a group we can be proud of. Dunlap should be courted to stay. His low key is what is needed to repair some of the problems that have crept into the program. LB
• This is great. We play Louisville with Rick Pitino, who is rumored to be our next coach. The same coach we beat when he was at Kentucky to win the tourney in 1996-97. Are the stars and planets aligning or what? And if you are the athletic director, and UA wins this game, then how awkward do things get? Whatever happens the university must do the current staff right. GREAT PROGNOSTICATOR
• I really wish Livengood would have given Russ Pennell more of a chance. Too bad we can’t keep this entire staff intact. LUTEOLSONFAN1