On a day when his Omega Pharma Quick Step team celebrated Tom Boonen’s win in the Tour of Flanders, an incident involving Levi Leipheimer put a sobering slant on things.
The American rider was the victim of a collision with a car being hit from behind while training. He was taken to hospital afterwards, where fortunately doctors were able to tell him that they had found no broken bones.
According to his team, he has soreness and swelling to his left leg, and will undergo further tests after he lands in California tomorrow.
With his planned participation in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco out of the question, the 38 year old decided to return to the US and will spend some time there. His return to training will depend on the conclusion of the doctors who treat him.
"I was kind of in shock, you know," he said of the crash. "The bottom line is it was super scary and I am lucky to be alive. I'd also like to add that the team has been really supportive. The doctor here took great care of me. Ro, who handles all our travel did a great job at making sure I get home really early, and I've received good messages from the team. I'm really thankful for that.”
Leipheimer has had a strong start to his first season with the Omega Pharma Quick Step team, winning two stages plus the overall in the Tour de San Luis in Argentina, and also performing well in Paris-Nice. He lost out on a likely top three finish there due to a crash on the penultimate stage, but was one of the strongest riders in the race.