World champion Ellesse Andrews' Olympic preparations have taken a hit after a bad crash at Track Cycling's Nations Cup in Adelaide.
The 24-year-old clipped the back wheel of Japanese rider Mina Sato in the sprint semifinal and she couldn't continue.
Cycling New Zealand high performance director Ryan Hollows said while it's not ideal in an Olympic year, Andrews has plenty of time to recover.
"She has broken her collarbone and sustained a concussion. No major concerns on the collarbone break. It would appear that it's a clean enough brake that it should heal on its own, and at this stage no surgery required," he said.
Hollows said Andrews will be assessed tomorrow when she returns home.
"It's devastating for her, never a nice position to be in. We're still early in the year. It's not panic stations. We're pretty confident she'll be back where she needs to be in plenty of time."
It rules Andrews out of next week's Oceania Championships in Cambridge.
Her teammates had a successful day on the track on day three in Adelaide, with Ally Wollaston winning the omnium and Aaron Gate and Campbell Stewart teaming up to win the men's madison.
New Zealand won four gold medals and one bronze across the ditch. The next Nations Cup event is in Hong Kong in six weeks' time, with the final round in Milton, Canada in April.
SHARE ME