Still affected by a bad crash just over a week ago when riding a criterium in Jerusalem, Chris Anker Sorensen has said that he is relatively confident that his season start shouldn’t be affected.
The Danish climber hit the deck during the race held at the Saxo Bank SunGard camp in Israel. A fractured leg was initially suspected but a hospital examination subsequently showed that his symptoms were caused by heavy bruising to the muscle. He also had a large cut which required several stitches on his shin.
“A crash and an injury never come conveniently but the timing could have been worse,” he said. Sorensen arrived back in Denmark this week and still has a very swollen leg plus a limp, but was due to have special treatment today from the team’s body therapist.
That should help reduce the inflammation, then his stitches will be removed in one week’s time.
He is aiming to resume training before the end of December. “I hope to be back on the bike within two weeks…my first races aren't due until late February so I'm pretty confident that I'm going to make it,” he said.
Fortunately he is first target is still some time away, taking the pressure off somewhat. “Just like this season, my goal is to peak in April for the Liège-Bastogne-Liège as it's my dream to improve the sixth place from this season. I'm pretty proud of that as it is,” he said. “Then it all comes down to preparing for the Tour to help Alberto (Contador) win.”
Sorensen had a solid 2011season, netting that top ten finish in Liège, winning the mountains jersey in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, placing second, sixth and seventh on stages of the Critérium du Dauphiné and second and fifth on stages of the Vuelta a España.
He dedicated himself to Alberto Contador in the Tour de France while also taking a solid 37th overall.