Martin Vidaurre was injured in La Thuile, will miss the short track event, and his participation on Sunday is in doubt

Just a few minutes before the start of the La Thuille World Cup, Specialized Factory Racing has announced that Martin Vidaurre will not be able to compete in the Short Track of La Thuile after suffering a severe ankle sprain during a training session on the circuit.

 Another blow for Specialized Factory Racing: Vidaurre suffers a severe ankle sprain

The news was confirmed by the team itself through its social media shortly before the race. According to the American team, Vidaurre was injured while scouting the course the day before and has since been receiving medical treatment to speed up his recovery.

For the moment, he misses the Short Track and his participation in the XCO event on Sunday remains uncertain. Specialized Factory Racing has indicated that it will continue to evaluate the athlete's progress over the next few hours before making a definitive decision on whether he will be able to start.

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The injury comes at a particularly delicate moment for a team that is experiencing a season marked by the physical problems of several of its key riders. Even before the start of the campaign, Frenchman Victor Koretzky suffered a broken arm during training and has still not been able to return to competition.

Bad luck continued in the first round of the World Cup held in South Korea, where Christopher Blevins fractured his collarbone after a fall. The American completed a long recovery process that allowed him to return to competition last week in Lenzerheide, bringing some optimism back to the team.

Now it is Vidaurre who enters the team's infirmary. The Chilean was having a very solid campaign in the World Cup and had established himself as one of the most consistent riders in the elite peloton, so his possible absence in the XCO of La Thuile would represent another setback for Specialized Factory Racing.