LONDON: Former world road race champion Alessandro Ballan is out of intensive care as he continues to recover from surgery following a high-speed crash in training last week, his BMC team said yesterday.
The Italian, being treated in Spain, remains in hospital after he underwent surgery over a week ago to repair his broken left leg and remove his spleen. The 33-year-old also broke a rib in the accident between Valencia and Alicante.
“Every day I am getting better. Now it’s easy,” 2008 world champion Ballan said in a statement from his hospital bed.
“I am very happy because I have a lot of supporters, not only in Italy, but around the world. A lot of people are thinking of me in this moment and I am very happy and appreciative of all of them.”
BMC chief medical officer Max Testa said no release date has yet been established for Ballan.
AFP
