KEY POINTS:
Ashburton cyclist Hayden Roulston may not be able to defend his title at the national road championships on Saturday after an accident during training yesterday.
BikeNZ high performance director Michael Flynn said Roulston was training with three or four others on hills outside of Christchurch when he clipped a bike in front of him.
"He was out on a training ride and coming down a hill very fast - between 70 and 75km/h, he says. He made a mistake and clipped the back wheel of another rider and came down hard.
"He has abrasions, particularly to the right side of his body, and some cuts and lacerations to his right hand and elbow."
Last August, Roulston was advised to quit cycling after being diagnosed with a serious heart malfunction - arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia - which can leave him short of breath and have fatal consequences for sufferers when they are under stress.
Instead, he turned to alternative medicine and returned to the sport a month later in top form, winning a Christchurch road race.
Flynn said Roulston's heart condition didn't appear to have anything to do with yesterday's accident, and it was possible he would be released from Christchurch Hospital's accident and emergency department last night or today.
Roulston was to compete in the national road championship in Wellington, battling it out against international cycling star Julian Dean.
Flynn said that was on hold until the extent of Roulston's injuries was better known. A decision would be made by Friday.
Roulston was also to lead an eight-rider New Zealand team to South Australia's Tour Down Under next week.
Roulston, 25, has been nearly unstoppable in domestic races, winning the national road title in October and the Tour of Southland.
