Cycling: Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing) clinched an emotional win after being out injured for 15 months. The American won the opening stage of the USA Pro Challenge in Steamboat Springs, Colorado on Monday.
Knee supported with blue tape, beneath a scar that runs almost the entire length of the shin: Taylor Phinney was still clearly the consequences of his career-threatening fall. But at the finish of Stage 1 of the USA Pro Challenge, Phinney was beaming. The victory that was just achieved was not just a sporting triumph against 118 other athletes, but also an emotional milestone after a long ordeal. In May 2014, Phinney fell badly at the US Road Championships and sustained a compound double fracture of his left lower leg. The then 23-year-old had multiple surgeries and his career was hanging by a thread. But Phinney fought back, spending long months in rehab and not being discouraged by the fact that his comeback had to be postponed several times. It was only at the Tour of Utah a few days ago - 15 months after the fatal fall - that Phinney was able to start again in a professional race for the first time. Yesterday's victory on Monday was only the eighth day of racing since returning to the peloton.
"Wow. I've never felt such emotion in my entire life!" Phinney tweeted to fans after the race. "I'm humbled by your support and more than grateful to have won today." Phinney's victory came from a late attack with 1.500 yards to go after falling behind at times. "I knew I didn't have the power to beat the best riders in the bunch sprint," Phinney explained. "That's why I had to start earlier. It wasn't until the last 100 meters that I thought about being able to win. I then briefly panicked that I wouldn't be able to do it after all, and I put my full power into the pedals for the last eight or nine seconds. For the past 15 months I've been imagining what it's like to put your hands up. That was the moment I imagined.” Phinney had already finished third in his first race and now he managed to win. The cycling world registered: Taylor Phinney is back!
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