Richie Porte to miss Rio time trial after sustaining serious injuries in fall during road race

AUSSIE cyclist Richie Porte is out of the time trial at the Rio Olympics after being taken to hospital with a suspected broken collarbone and ribs from a crash in the road race.

Richie Porte will be sitting on the sidelines for the time trial.

AUSSIE cyclist Richie Porte says he is lucky to escape without more serious injury after he was spectacularly caught by net fencing on the side of a mountain when he crashed out of the Olympic road race.

The 31-year-old Tasmanian has pulled out of the time trial after scans in hospital revealed he had fractured his shoulder and suffered significant cuts and bruises in the high-speed crash.

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Porte was with the main contenders 35km from the finish at Copacabana when a rider crashed in front of him on the lighting fast descent of the Chinesa Vista and he had nowhere to go.

“I hit it with a fair bit of speed and it’s really disappointing because the guys were good all day looking after me, and then for this to happen, it hurts,” said Porte, who was fifth in last month’s Tour de France.

“I’m disappointed but lucky I’m not worse off.

“I’m definitely out of the time trial, I won’t be able to ride for at least 10 days, my arm’s in a sling and I can’t really move (it).”

Richie Porte will be sitting on the sidelines for the time trial.

Porte said he called his wife Gemma, who was in Rio watching the race, and his mum Penny in Tasmania, to let them know he was okay.

“Obviously it’s hard on Gemma when she hears I’ve crashed, guess it’s part of being a cyclist’s wife,” he said.

Australia coach Brad McGee heaped praise on Porte who he said showed the type of attitude and work ethic that deserved a medal.

“You have to take your hat off to him, this whole campaign he’s been in a really good place. A bloke you want to put a medal around his neck and it’s unfortunate it eventuated the way it did,” McGee said.

“The boys did exactly what was needed and he was there and ready to shine, but he’s definitely not broken, he’ll be back with his fighting spirit which we all (know).”

The crash continued a horror run of bad luck for Porte who earlier in the day twice dropped his chain on the cobblestones near the Grumari climb.

American Brent Bookwalter described the race as “anarchy”.

“People dropping chains, flatting, cross-winds, it was all over the place,” he said.

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Irishman Daniel Martin said “it was the hardest day I’ve ever had in my life on a bike”.

“It was a brutal, brutal, strange old race,” Martin said.

Last month at the Tour de France Porte’s hopes of winning the yellow jersey were all but dashed on stage two when he punctured and lost almost two minutes, while the year before he also punctured at a critical time of a stage in the Giro d’Italia which ruined his pink jersey aspirations.

Originally published as Richie Porte to miss Rio time trial after sustaining serious injuries in fall during road race