Marta Cavalli injures pelvis in training camp crash
The FDJ-SUEZ rider will likely delay the start of her season as she hopes to return to top form at the Classics
Logan Jones-Wilkins
Junior Writer - North America
© Sprint Cycling Agency
Marta Cavalli will likely have to delay the start of her season due to her crash in Spain
Marta Cavalli (FDJ-SUEZ) has sustained a bone bruise to her pelvis from a crash during a pre-season training camp in Spain, her team said on Monday.
While details remain unclear regarding the exact nature of the injury and the timeline for her recovery, Cavalli is likely to delay the start of her season, having not made her 2024 debut yet. It remains unclear if it will affect her Classics program as the 25-year-old Italian looks to return to her top form.
“It is with regret but above all with unfailing determination that the FDJ-SUEZ team announces that Marta Cavalli suffered an injury following a fall in training during the training camp in Benidorm,” read a statement from the French team.
“Medical examinations confirmed a bone contusion to the pelvis. The 25-year-old Italian is already following a specific medical protocol to ensure complete recovery.”
The Italian puncheur made a name for herself in the 2022 Ardennes Classics where she took wins at Amstel Gold Race and La Flèche Wallonne, but she has had an injury-affected career since.
A crash on stage 2 of the inaugural Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift first took her out of competition in the summer of 2022 before lingering issues from that incident interrupted her Spring campaign in 2023.
When Cavalli burst onto the scene with her Classics victories, FDJ-SUEZ began to build a team around the finishing prowess of the Italian and Cecile Uttrup Ludwig in both the Classics and the Grand Tours.
The crash that caught Cavalli on stage 2 left FDJ-SUEZ without their second leader for much of the 2022 and 2023 seasons, though the Italian did make a return to her top level in the summer of 2023 when she took wins at the Tour des Pyrénées and the Tour de l’Ardèche.
Though this injury marks another setback for Cavalli, her team underlined their commitment to supporting the 24-year-old back to her best.
“Marta is an exceptional athlete and a key piece of our team,” Stephen Delcourt, the General Manager of FDJ-SUEZ, said in the press release. “Her health and recovery are our top priority. We are all behind her to support her during this difficult time. Her courage and determination inspire us, and we are confident in her ability to return stronger than ever.”
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