KEY POINTS:
Cycling star Hayden Roulston has returned home to nurse injuries suffered in a high-speed training crash yesterday but it's unclear whether he will be fit to compete in two big upcoming events.
Roulston suffered severe abrasions and lacerations to his right hand and right side of his body after falling at high speed during a training run in Christchurch.
He was taken to Christchurch Hospital by St John Ambulance after he clipped a training partner's rear wheel while coming down Evans Pass road on the Port Hills
Roulston was set to defend his national road championship title in Upper Hutt on Saturday and then lead a New Zealand team at the Tour Down Under in South Australia next week.
"Basically for the next two days -- hopefully, if he's smart -- he will sit tight," BikeNZ high performance director Michael Flynn told NZPA this morning.
"Hopefully his skin will improve enough for us to make a decision on Friday about the national road champs and the Tour Down Under."
Roulston was last year diagnosed with a heart condition that can periodically leave him short of breath when resting and can have fatal consequences for sufferers when under stress.
He has sought treatment and continued cycling despite some medical advice urging otherwise.
Flynn said Roulston appeared to be in good spirits and was lucky not to have broken any bones or had heart problems.
"He's good. He's probably very lucky and naturally a concern for us was that if he went into some sort of shock his heart might respond badly, but he did not miss a beat with regards to his heart, which is great."
Flynn said Roulston was taking antibiotics and his condition would be monitored before Friday's decision on the upcoming events.
- NZPA
