Thursday, March 26, 2009

Armstrong gets plate, 12 screws in collarbone


His broken collarbone surgically mended, Lance Armstrong is on the clock.

The seven-time Tour de France champion will be back on his bike in days even though the bone may take eight to 12 weeks to fully mend. Armstrong must resume training almost immediately if he’s to meet his goal of racing in the Giro d’Italia, which begins May 9.

The 37-year-old American cyclist also plans to ride in the Tour de France this July.

Surgeon Doug Elenz inserted a stainless steel plate and 12 screws to stabilize the broken collarbone on Wednesday, two days after Armstrong crashed in the first stage of the Vuelta of Castilla and Leon race in northern Spain.

“Lance is going to be a patient who is going to push the envelope,” Elenz said. “This first week we’re going to make Lance take it easy … ask Lance not to do a whole lot.”

Just hours after the surgery, Armstrong was posting to his Twitter feed, reassuring fans.

“howdy folks. Made it thru. Took longer than we thought. Playing with my kids right. Making me feel A LOT better,” he wrote.

THE MAN RIDES AGAIN, VIVA LA LANCE!!

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