Injured six days ago when clipped by a car when out training, Niels Albert has learned that he will face a longer time off the bike and away from competition than originally expected. The Belgian cyclo-cross champion has had a further medical assessment and the broken bone in his left wrist is making the more situation more complicated that was thought before.
As a result, the BKCP-Power Plus rider will miss the World Cup race he had planned to ride in Igorre, Spain, on December 4th. Having been fitted with a new cast, he has set his mind on being ready for the Koksijde world championships on January 29th.
“The beginning of December would not have been feasible in any case,” he said, according to Belga. “I'm realistic enough and know my body enough to realize that. At the end of the day, there is a fracture and that cannot be healed in a week’s time. I'm already glad that this new brace will enable me to do some cycling and keep some training intensity.”
Albert had shown excellent form this season, winning Superprestiges races in Ruddervoorde and Zonhoven and leading the series until his crash. He missed Sunday’s race in Gavere, which was dominated by Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Revor).
The series is now being led by fellow Belgian Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet), who is level on points with Zdenek Stybar (Quick Step).
In recent days Albert said that he believed it was possible to win the worlds. “I’m pushing my disillusionment away to chase that one goal,” he told Het Nieuwsblad. “In my head I hear, ‘I’m going to be world champion.’ I don’t doubt it. I will not be satisfied with second or third place.”
Stybar took his second worlds last year despite missing several races with knee problems. Albert will take encouragement from that, knowing that sometimes freshness at a late point in the season is more important for the worlds than having raced regularly in the months beforehand.