Breaking News: Down Goes Bäckstedt

by Chris Fontecchio on Jan 31, 2008 12:39 PM EST in News

At today's stage of the Tour of Qatar, Magnus Bäckstedt crashed after clipping the wheel of Quick Step's Wouter Weylandt in the final sprint, reportedly breaking his collarbone. Of course, a lot of things get reported before anyone actually knows what happened, so consider this completely unconfirmed, but Bäckstedt was the only rider who appeared to suffer more than superficial injuries.

Danilo Napolitano scored his first-ever straight-up sprint win over Tom Boonen for the stage. Boonen retains the overall lead.

Please post any updates you come across on Bäckstedt's condition. Paris-Roubaix is still 10 weeks off; all is not lost yet.

Tweet Comment 12 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Looks confirmed

Velonews appears to have confirmation from the Slippy team manager people. Dean and Sutton also crashed, but with only bumps and bruises. Apparently, Maggie was leading the Slippies up the outside, when Tosatto pulled off the front of the Boonen train and started drifting backward. They collided.

by Jen See on Jan 31, 2008 12:47 PM EST reply actions

All IS lost

I'd write a long piece of the miserable heap of crap that is the 2008-season after this news but it's so hard to type when your're lying in the fetalposition.

by Jens on Jan 31, 2008 12:49 PM EST reply actions

Damn...

as he was on my team!

He has been replaced with another Classics Specialist!

Racing for Victory and Free Beer!

by DemonCats on Jan 31, 2008 2:20 PM EST up reply actions

Ooof

Ooof. A big cloud on Slippy's otherwise hopeful sunrise to the season. Hope he heals up fast.

by ursula on Jan 31, 2008 12:59 PM EST reply actions

French press is optimistic

French press -- without citations -- says he's off to London for surgery, and they put him back on the bike in about ten days, preserving his opportunity to prep for Paris-Roubaix:

''Magnus Backstedt (Slipstream-Chipotle) sera opéré prochainement à Londres par un spécialiste qui le connaît bien. Immobilisé pour une dizaine de jours, le Suédois devrait ensuite reprendre sa préparation pour Paris-Roubaix, qu'il avait remporté en 2004.''

Let's hope that this is right!

-Greg

by gregm on Jan 31, 2008 1:09 PM EST reply actions

Please don't interrupt

my wallowing in self-pity with upbeat reports. What do the french know about anything, anyway? They probably can't tell a collarbone from a baguettte.

by Jens on Jan 31, 2008 1:26 PM EST up reply actions

According to Christophe Laurent

My translation from his site:

"Part of the team crashed at 500m from the finish line. While there was 6 of us in the last stretch, everything was going perfectly, and I had just finished my work as 'shield' staying with Chris Sutton, Maggie, Julian & David Millar and when it was time to launch the sprint, it became rough with the Quick Step team resulting with the team crashing at 70 km/h. Resulting in Maggie's breaking his collarbone and multiple contusions for Chris & Julian"

by lyne on Jan 31, 2008 1:20 PM EST reply actions

His own fault unfortunately

From the helicopter-shot it looks as if he had his head down, looking back to see where he had his teammate, when Weylandt dropped off to the right after finishing his pull at the front.

by Jens on Jan 31, 2008 3:03 PM EST reply actions

Hey didn't he break his collarbone last year too?

Bad luck. Hopefully it was a clean break, and can be 'put back together' easily.

by lyne on Jan 31, 2008 4:22 PM EST reply actions

Shoulder

and he had to have follow up surgeries afterwards that pretty much scuttled the first half of his season. This should be a cake walk compared to that and I fully expect to see him on the line in PR.

"That rug really tied the room together. "

by Drew on Jan 31, 2008 4:36 PM EST up reply actions

From VN

"I've broken it clean off," he said. "It's not a crack, it's snapped clean off."

"Either way, I will be back on the rollers within two days," he said. "I should be able to be back training on the bike within 10 days or so. I'm far enough out from the classics that I shouldn't have to worry about losing too much (fitness)."

Wow....

by Hons on Jan 31, 2008 4:51 PM EST up reply actions