2006-07-28, 10:39
NEWS:
Fabien Barel will not be able to defend his World Elite Men Downhill title in NZ.
He sent out this message last night:
"Two weeks after I became Champion of France, I went to Finland to just have fun on the bike before concentrating 100% on the world championships in Rotorua. Unfortunately I had a bit too much fun! One of these fantastic trails really tests your limits. Enjoying it and having this great feeling of flying over the obstacles made me make a small mistake. I clipped a rock with my foot and went over the handlebars - a small mistake with devastating consequences! I have broken the scaphoid in my right foot. It's a little bone but it supports the weight of the body and takes a while to heal. Effectively 2 months without putting weight on it then another month of rehabilitation. What this means is my season is over.
Obviously I am devastated especially after coming back from an injury to my arm. But everything arrives for a reason in life even if some time it is hard to understand.
I will beback on the bike as soon as possible. With a flame in my heart - and my head!
Why?
Just because I love it..."
The 2006 Worlds wishes Fabien a swift recovery. We will miss him in August. When he visited back in March to scope out the Worlds courses on Mount Ngongotaha at the Oceania Mountain Bike & Trials Championships he was a fantastic ambassador for France, mountain biking and his Kona-Les Get team.
He was fastest on the day back then riding what he described as almost the "perfect run".
Straight after winning his second rainblow jersey in a row at last year's World Championships in Livigno, Italy, Fabien told New Zealand Mountain Biker magazine he was "looking forward to defending my title and going for 3 in a row in Rotorua in 2006".
Sadly it is not to be..."
__________________
Fabien Barel will not be able to defend his World Elite Men Downhill title in NZ.
He sent out this message last night:
"Two weeks after I became Champion of France, I went to Finland to just have fun on the bike before concentrating 100% on the world championships in Rotorua. Unfortunately I had a bit too much fun! One of these fantastic trails really tests your limits. Enjoying it and having this great feeling of flying over the obstacles made me make a small mistake. I clipped a rock with my foot and went over the handlebars - a small mistake with devastating consequences! I have broken the scaphoid in my right foot. It's a little bone but it supports the weight of the body and takes a while to heal. Effectively 2 months without putting weight on it then another month of rehabilitation. What this means is my season is over.
Obviously I am devastated especially after coming back from an injury to my arm. But everything arrives for a reason in life even if some time it is hard to understand.
I will beback on the bike as soon as possible. With a flame in my heart - and my head!
Why?
Just because I love it..."
The 2006 Worlds wishes Fabien a swift recovery. We will miss him in August. When he visited back in March to scope out the Worlds courses on Mount Ngongotaha at the Oceania Mountain Bike & Trials Championships he was a fantastic ambassador for France, mountain biking and his Kona-Les Get team.
He was fastest on the day back then riding what he described as almost the "perfect run".
Straight after winning his second rainblow jersey in a row at last year's World Championships in Livigno, Italy, Fabien told New Zealand Mountain Biker magazine he was "looking forward to defending my title and going for 3 in a row in Rotorua in 2006".
Sadly it is not to be..."
__________________