Armstrong says he’ll race in May despite broken collarbone


March 25, 2009 at 8:45a.m.

Armstrong says he’ll race in May despite broken collarbone

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Lance Armstrong is planning to ride in the Giro d’Italia in May even though his broken collarbone is a bit more serious than first thought.

“I think the Giro is still very doable,” the seven-time Tour de France champion said Tuesday night during a conference call with reporters. “This is definitely a setback, no doubt. It’s the biggest setback I’ve ever had in my cycling career, so it’s a new experience for me.”

Although initial indications were it was a clean break, the 37-year-old American cyclist said new tests in Austin showed “multiple pieces” of broken bone.

He will have surgery Wednesday, and Austin sports medicine specialist Dr. Douglas Elenz, an orthopedic surgeon, will insert a plate to stabilize the collarbone.