Rowing: Crash won't affect Drysdale's preparations

Mahe Drysdale says the cycling accident he suffered this week will not affect his preparation for the London Olympics. Photo / Getty Images.

Five-time world champion Mahe Drysdale says the cycling accident he suffered this week will not affect his preparation for the London Olympics.

Drysdale was in a collision with a car in Germany and was knocked from his bike, sustaining a bruised hip and an AC joint injury on his shoulder.

The injury will likely rule Drysdale - who is among the favourites for gold at the Olympic Games - out of the final World Cup rowing regatta in Munich this weekend.

But the single sculler stressed that it will have no effect on his bid for gold at the London Olympics.

"It's a semi serious injury but it's certainly not that threatening. It will be a maximum of ten days out of the boat but hopefully less than that," Drysdale told Radio New Zealand.

"It's something that may keep me out of the race this weekend but won't affect my preparation for racing at the Olympics."

It was the second accident in two years for Drysdale who has included cycling in his training and regatta build up programme as a way to protect his back from a repeat of the injury that seriously affected his season in 2010.

"I was turning left at a roundabout and there was a car stopped at the give way sign, I assumed they had seen me because they stopped but obviously they hadn't and they took off and I clipped them and the bike went flying."

Drysdale's previous cycling accident occurred in 2011 the day before he raced at the World Champs.

Drysdale said he plans on using a safer, stationary exercycle for the next few weeks.

- Herald Online