Team Sky's Kurt Asle Arvesen has broken his collarbone at the Tour of Qatar today, following his team's stage victory in yesterday's team time trial. Arvesen was rolling along with the peloton while still in the neutralized zone when he crashed.
"It was really an absurd kind of accident because it happened before the race proper had started," he said on the team's website.
"We were basically just getting ready to start racing when I let a guy go past me, but it then got a bit narrow and I lost control of the bike and crashed to the ground.
The 35-year-old was brought to Team Sky by Senior Sports Director Scott Sunderland who had worked with the Norwegian under Bjarne Riis. He served as a valuable captain on the road for the Danish team, and with the race radios being phased out, his presence on the team will become increasingly important.
"It's really unfortunate to break your collarbone at any time but especially now as I was just getting ready to start my year."
Arvesen was forced to abandon during stage 10 of last year's Tour de France following a collarbone fracture. "The only good thing about this is that it is on the other side and hopefully the healing process will be as smooth as last time."
He remembers all too well the recovery process, and will now head back to Norway to see the same specialist who treated his injury last season. "I definitely still remember how to get back on my bike after an injury like this," he said.