American Chris Horner of RadioShack has announced that this year’s season has been forced to an end with the news that a blood clot has been found on his lung. Writing on his blog the 39 year-old said, “With a pulmonary embolism, the season quickly went from an exciting and positive one (for the most part), to an abrupt end.” Whilst not life-threatening the condition will necessitate a six-month course of treatment with blood-thinning drugs that should allow continued training but would make racing dangerous.
Horner, three-time USA Cycling National Racing Calendar Champion (2002-2004), famously had a particularly disastrous 2009 season during which he managed to break his left hand during the Vuelta a España (Tour of Spain), his collarbone and a rib during the Tour of the Basque Country and his leg at the Giro d’Italia. On the positive side and with his trademark optimism, Horner added: “Looking ahead now, there’s a lot to be excited about since leaving the Tour de France, RadioShack has extended my contract for another two seasons, which gives me a lot of peace of mind and the ability to be completely focused on the next two years of great racing.”
