Armstrong crashes, breaks collarbone

BALTANAS, Spain -- Lance Armstrong fractured his collarbone Monday during a race in Spain, leaving in question his participation in the Tour de France in July.

The seven-time Tour champion said he will fly to the United States and meet with medical experts to decide whether he needs surgery.

"We'll go from there," he said. "I think for the Tour it's a very big problem."

In a statement released later Monday, the 37-year-old said he had "been lucky to avoid one of the most common cycling injuries" in his 17-year career.

"The crash has put my upcoming calendar in jeopardy, but the most important thing for me right now is to get back home and rest up and begin my rehab," Armstrong said.

Armstrong is scheduled to compete in the Giro d'Italia from May 9 to May 31. The Tour runs July 4 to 26.

He was knocked off his bike during a pileup in the first stage of the Vuelta of Castilla and Leon race and was taken to a hospital by ambulance. The American, who crashed about 12.5 miles from the stage's finish, was grimacing and trying to hold his right arm as he entered the ambulance.

"The collarbone is broken, and I have a little bit of road-rash abrasions," Armstrong said as he left Valladolid University Hospital. "I've never had this happen before; it's pretty painful. I feel really miserable."

Astana team leader Johan Bruyneel said on his Twitter feed that there were no complications in the break, and suggested Armstrong could be back riding soon.

"Clean collarbone fracture," Bruyneel said. "Should be fast recovery."

After falling off his bike, Armstrong sat in the grass beside the road, his right shoulder slumped and his wrist resting on his right thigh. When help arrived, he motioned toward his right shoulder. Armstrong eventually walked to the ambulance and climbed into the back.

Astana teammate Levi Leipheimer described the pileup on his Twitter feed.

"Lance was involved in a huge crash as the road narrowed and became very rough," Leipheimer wrote. "He wasn't far from the front, as he was riding top 10 all day."

Armstrong said the crash was no one's fault.

"Toward the end of the race people started getting excited, a bit of wind, some hills and everybody wanting to be at the front," he said. "A couple of guys crashed in front of me, I crossed my wheel, then I hit them and over the top."

Alberto Contador, Armstrong's teammate and rival, said he hoped the American would be back on the bike soon.

"It has been a pity to lose Lance, because we see him with desire of doing a good preparation in this race," Contador said. "Now only I can support him and wish him to recover as soon as possible in order to take the start on the Giro."

The 37-year-old is making a comeback to cycling and is riding with the Astana team as he prepares for another possible shot at a Tour de France title. The Vuelta of Castilla and Leon race was Armstrong's first stage race in Europe since winning the 2005 Tour.

Armstrong started his comeback at the Tour Down Under in Australia in January, where he finished 29th overall, 49 seconds behind winner Allan Davis of Australia. He then finished seventh in the Tour of California in February.

On Saturday, Armstrong raced in the Milan-San Remo cycling classic and finished 125th, 8 minutes, 19 seconds behind the winner.