Kate Courtney broke her arm in Nove Mesto crash
U.S. former world champion is still aiming tor Tokyo Olympics this summer
Photo by:
Bartek Wolinksi / Red Bull Content Pool
When Kate Courtney crashed during the Nove Mesto World Cup, it looked like a broken brake lever was her biggest problem. A flat tire followed, and the American faded back into the field and out of view of the live broadcast.
Now, Courtney’s shared that the crash actually resulted in a broken arm. The Olympics-bound U.S. rider suffered a “non displaced fracture of [her] ulna” when she fell hard on wet roots in the Czech Republic.
The Scott-SRAM rider is already on the road to recovery. The nature of her injury means Courtney is back on the road bike, working hard in her final preparations for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Courtney is one of two U.S. women’s riders already qualified for the Olympic Games. While Courtney was having a bad day in Nove Mesto, Haley Batten had a breakout performance to take second place behind Loana Lecomte. Batten’s podium placing earns her the second of the U.S. women’s three Olympic berths.
The Women’s Olympic XCO mountain bike race takes place on Tuesday, July 27, 2021. That mean’s Courtney will have had a full two months of recovery before she lines up on the start grid in Japan.
Kate Courtney:
“Unlike my spirits, it turns out that my arm is in fact broken. My crash in Nove Mesto was a little harder than I thought and resulted in a non displaced fracture of my ulna. The good news is I can still train comfortably on the road with this splint but am making sure to be cautious and allow it to heal as quickly as possible. I am so grateful to the team around me for helping manage this injury and keep me charging forward”
