Lance Armstrong Fractures Collarbone in Bike Crash

On his way to a Tour de France Comeback, Lance Armstrong suffered a shoulder fracture Monday after a crash near the end of Stage 1 of the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon, a five-day stage race north of Madrid, Italy. Apparently he took a hard fall and was taken to a local hospital where X-rays showed a fracture of his right clavicle, or collarbone.

A fractured clavicle, or fractured collarbone, is a common cycling injury that often requires surgical repair and immobilization while it heals. According to Livestrong.com, Lance plans to return home to the U.S. and decide about his various surgery options. On his website he wrote, “In 17 years as a pro I have been lucky to avoid one of the most common cycling injuries. 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.” According to his team doctor, Pedro Celaya, “Lance suffered a fracture of the middle third of the right collarbone as well as some bruises on his right hip and arm.

Read more about Lance's injury at Lance's LIVESTRONG blog.

Read more about clavicle fractures and clavicle fracture rehabilitation.

_{Photo (c) Vittorio Zunino Celotto / Getty Images}