03 September 2013
IAM Cycling
Just a quick five stage tour, and then he left for his home in Fribourg-en-Brisgau, Germany. After four days racing around the roads of the international Tour du Poitou-Charentes, Heinrich Haussler found his confidence in the pack again following his heavy crash during the Tour of Switzerland.
Just after the start of the stage from Leuggern, Thursday, June 13, the Australian IAM Cycling leader ended up on the ground. Despite the pain, the Swiss teams puncheur tried to continue, but to no avail. Taken to the hospital in nearby Uster, Haussler received the doctors diagnosis; the unfortunate rider emerged the next afternoon in a wheelchair with multiple bruises and road rash on his left side, but also with a fracture of the pelvis and a small fracture of the left hip. He was told hed be completely off the bike for six weeks.
The result: Heinrich Haussler worked like a madman with the help of physiotherapists and under constant medical supervision in order to make his return to racing in the peloton on Tuesday, August 27, just ten weeks after his accident. Courageous and determined, the IAM Cycling classics specialist does not hide his satisfaction at having averted a complete wash-out of his 2013 season, and is already looking forward to 2014.
Heinrich Haussler, do you remember the circumstances around your crash at the Tour of Switzerland stage between Leuggern and Meilen?
The pace was very high in the bunch. We had covered about 10 kilometers. On a long straight, there was a sudden slowdown in the pack and we fell on each other like dominoes. I jump back up on my bike because I had an adrenaline rush. I was determined to continue. But of course the pain prevented me from going too far.
How did you take the diagnosis by the doctors in the hospital?
I was mortified. I cried with rage because for a cyclist, it is important to get back on your bike as soon as possible. But I was doomed to remain at least six weeks off the bike, and do nothing; I could only get around with a wheelchair or crutches.
How did you manage to get back to racing and in such good form after only ten weeks?
I was determined to erase as quickly as possible the memory I had of the worst day of my career. Before this happened, I had never had a broken bone, in spite of all the crashes I have had. So for ten weeks, I never took a day off. Even on Sundays, I would work at my recovery and follow the advice of the doctors and physiotherapists.
Your ability to recover has surprised many. Can you tell us a little about the program to monitor your progress?
Before I was allowed back onto the rollers, Armin and Sebastian, the two physiotherapists, worked closely with me at my home and took incredible care of me. Without them, I would not be nearly as far along as I am now. I owe them a real debt of gratitude. After our working together for a time, I could then get my bike installed on a trainer. I went gradually from taking ten minutes at a time to one hour. And when I got the green light to go on the road, I was as happy as a kid at Christmas.
Did you find your racing legs at this first test of the Tour du Poitou-Charentes?
I am very close to my best, but that has come through being six and seven hours on a bike in recent weeks. I will certainly continue with this momentum by taking part in the Brussels Classic and the GP de Fourmies in the next ten days. In my mind, Im already tuned into the 2014 season.
What are your goals?
In November, I will go up to altitude near Saint Moritz and spend six to eight weeks there, and spend a lot of time cross-country skiing. Then next year, I will concentrate on all the spring classics before preparing for our possible participation in the Tour de France.
photos / Etienne Garnier velofotopro.com
