Thursday 3 January 2013 10:21, UK
Alessandro Ballan is expected to make a full recovery from the high-speed training accident that left him with a broken leg, ruptured spleen and punctured lung.
BMC general manager Jim Ochowicz revealed Ballan's crash, which happened on the penultimate day of the team's training camp, has had a big effect on their other riders. Ochowicz said: "We don't know how long Alessandro will be out of competition, but I am confident our other riders will dig a little deeper to make up for his absence. What has been nice to see is how everyone has stepped up from the moment this happened." Ballan had been scheduled to race at the season-opening Tour Down Under in January before embarking on a spring Classics campaign. No decision has yet been made on who will replace him in Australia.
