Update: Lawson Craddock fractured bone in right hand after tumble before start at E3 Saxo Bank Classic
BikeExchange-Jayco star after visit to hospital: 'For me, the classics are over even before they began.'
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Lawson Craddock did not start Friday’s E3 Saxo Bank Classic following a mishap before the start in Harelbeke.
BikeExchange-Jayco officials confirmed that the Texan tripped up on some TV cables after signing on for the start and lost control of his bike. He did not start as a precaution, and went to a Belgian hospital for a checkup.
UPDATED: Team officials confirmed that Craddock fractured “the fifth metacarpal of the right hand and will return home to recover and begin rehabilitation.”
Speaking after the incident, Craddock said it was better to be safe and not take the start.
“It was a disappointing start to the classics for me,” Craddock said. “Coming away from the team presentation, I went to go over some of the cable covers on the ground, and the way I hit them, it popped my back wheel into the air. I went over the handlebars and landed with my hand directly underneath me in front of my chest.
“Immediately there was a lot of pain on the hand and pain in the chest, and we thought, let’s see how it feels, but I tried to ride again and couldn’t really hold the handlebars. Of course, it’s better to be safe in that situation and not take the start,” he said. “Really disappointing. For me, the classics are over even before they began. I came here really quite motivated to race. Now it’s re-evaluating the immediate future, and see where we go from here.”
Craddock, 30, came into the 2022 season with a renewed focus on the spring classics.
Craddock started both races of the Belgian “opening weekend” and helped teammate Michael Matthews finish fourth at the recent Milan-San Remo.
He’s scheduled to start Gent-Wevelgem and Itzulia Basque Country, but it’s too early to say if his program might be impacted.
Mikkel Honoré (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) and Pascal Ackermann (UAE Emirates) were also late non-starters.
Guy Sagiv (Israel-Premier Tech) and Tosh Van der Sande (Jumbo-Visma) both abandoned following a pileup early in the race.
Check back for more details as they become available.
The guys line-up and ready for another big day of classics racing! 💪🏼 Let’s go.
*Unfortunately @lawsoncraddock took a tumble before the official start, so will not race today as a precaution. More to follow later. pic.twitter.com/9EmeFqhmJq
— Team BikeExchange-Jayco (@GreenEDGEteam) March 25, 2022