Tony Martin suffers fractured cheekbone after collision with car

Omega Pharma-Quick Step has revelaled that its rider Tony Martin may require surgery on a fractured cheekbone he sustained on a training ride near his home in Switzerland yesterday when he collided with a car. The unfortunate German rider is the fourth professional cyclist to be injured in an incident with a car so far this month.

In a statement, the Belgian team said: “According to preliminary reports, Tony hit a car with his bike and lost consciousness after impact.

“He was immediately transported to the local hospital in Munsterlingen, (SUI). Tony was diagnosed with a fracture on his cheek bone that possibly needs surgery.

“Tony was transported by ambulance to the University Hospital in Zurich this morning. His clinical condition is stable. In agreement with the team medical staff, today Tony Martin will undergo further specific examinations that will define the treatment he will need at that point.

“Tony's clinical condition is being constantly monitored by the hospital staff and the team's medical staff,” the team added. “Tony's family is with him. Further updates will be released soon.”

The 26-year-old, who beat Great Britain’s Bradley Wiggins and defending champion Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland to win the world time trial championship in Copenhagen in September, is among the favourites to take Olympic Gold in the discipline in London this August.

News of the incident comes less than a fortnight after another of Omega Pharma-Quick Step’s star riders, Levi Leipheimer, broke his leg when he was struck by a car while training in Spain ahead of the Tour of the Basque Country. That incident which occurred on April 1 happened only hours after separate incidents in which the Australian rider Shane Perkins and the Russian Ivan Kovalev were both struck by cars in separate incidents in the Australian city of Melbourne while training for last week's UCI World Track Championships.