Colorado’s inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge is forming one of American racing’s top start lists, but it appears one big name will slip away. Chris Horner, one of the top American veterans and winner of the Tour of California in May, is recovering from a blood clot in his lung and is all but ruled out of the Aug. 22-28 race.
Horner, 39, went into a hospital Sunday in his training base in Bend, Ore., after feeling pain in his abdomen. Horner crashed on Stage 9 of last month’s Tour de France and was back in Oregon training for the Challenge.
“It doesn’t look good,” race co-chairman Shawn Hunter said. “Hopefully, there’s enough time.”
Horner, who won the 2003 Tour of Georgia, could not be reached for comment and a spokesman for his Team RadioShack did not return an e-mail. However, Boulder-based VeloNews reported that Horner started blood thinning treatments Monday and he said, “Then I guess I figure out the rest.”
If he doesn’t race — and blood thinning does make racing difficult — Horner’s loss leaves Boulder resident and race favorite Tom Danielson one fewer rival in the mountainous circuit. However, the race is still the only one in U.S. history to field the podium from that year’s Tour de France.
“Certainly it would be a bit of a disappointment, but it won’t take away from the field that’s been assembled here the last couple weeks,” Hunter said. “It’s a great validation for the race that the podium, and most of the top 10 are committed. I’d certainly like to have him, but at this point I don’t think it’ll take away from the buzz that’s out there.”
John Henderson: 303-954-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com
