The 2017 season has come to a premature conclusion for Esteban Chaves after the Orica-Scott rider suffered a heavy fall inside the final 10kilometres of Giro dell’Emilia in Italy on Saturday.
Chaves was attempting to chase down eventual winner Giovanni Visconti (Bahrain Merida) in support of teammate Jack Haig when he lost control on a bend and crashed heavily on his right side.
Chaves was taken to hospital where X-rays revealed a fracture of the shoulder blade. Despite clear brain scans, the 27-year-old will spend the night in hospital under observation having also experienced a heavy hit to the head.
The 2016 Il Lombardia champion expressed his disappointment to end the season on this note but remained his distinctive positive self.
“This is not how I wanted to finish my 2017 season, especially without the opportunity to return to Lombardia after such special memories last year, but this is the way it is and we now focus on the recovery and next season,” Chaves said from hospital.
“It’s just a bone and there are much bigger challenges in life, we are lucky. We will return from this and I’m looking forward to a new year in 2018.
“I want to thank the team and the hospital staff for looking after me so well and to the fans for all of their kind messages and thoughts. It means a lot, thank you. I am good.”
Orica-Scott race doctor Matteo Beltemacchi explained the injury and recovery process.
“Esteban has a fracture of the right shoulder blade (distal portion),” Dr Beltemacchi explained. “It’s not necessary for an operation on this type of fracture, but he will require approximately 15 days’ rest with his right arm immobilised before some therapy to re-strengthen the region.
“It will finish his 2017 early, but will not have an effect on his 2018 preparations.”
