As we reported on Saturday, while wrapping up her Ijsboerke Ladies Trophy at Saturday’s race in Lille, 14-time Elite National Champion Katie Compton got caught up in an early crash, and cut her knee (and shoe’s Boa cable) on a disc brake rotor.
Compton went on to chase back after a shoe change to finish the race in seventh and claim the series title, but now photos have emerged from Compton and husband Mark Legg that show just how bad that cut was. Hold onto your lunch:
What happens when two riders make poor decisions and can’t be patient on the first lap and squeeze Katie into a crash? Disc rotor cut to the bone. Not a happy way to end a great season 😠 pic.twitter.com/7ORlxqWXh0
— Mark Legg (@MrKatieCompton) February 10, 2018
Compton had a glass half full-approach to the deep gash:
The good thing about disc rotor slices is that they don’t hurt till much later and the bleeding that doesn’t want to stop cleans the wound nicely. #stitches #brightside #offseason https://t.co/xGYbN4bEeO
— Katie Compton (@KatieFnCompton) February 10, 2018
While Legg was upset with the riders who caused the crash:
It’s not the first time an American was badly cut while racing in Europe. In 2014 at the World Championships in Hoogerheide, Ryan Trebon suffered a major cut on his calf after a run-in with a chainring, and the retired champ still sports a large scar to remember the incident.
Yeaaaaaa pic.twitter.com/MpP0ldGbD7
— Ryan Trebon (@ryantrebon) February 2, 2014
At the time, Compton ironically teased Trebon about the incident but complimented him on finishing.
@ryantrebon Wow Ryan, way to man-up and finish with that open wound!! Now I have to reconsider all the times I've called you a sissy…
— Katie Compton (@KatieFnCompton) February 2, 2014
Now perhaps it’s Trebon’s turn to pour salt in the wound with a little ribbing, or perhaps give Compton props for finishing up the DVV Race in Lille with such an injury.
As for the danger of disc brake rotors, the UCI and manufacturers have been working to chamfer the edges of rotors to increase safety and address concerns about their danger, especially in road racing, but it’s unclear as to whether the rotors that cut Compton was one of the updated models.
This past summer, Jeremy Powers attempted to demonstrate how SRAM’s latest rotors are “a game changer”:
After a full, successful season, the one upside to the timing of Compton’s injury is that it happened in her final race and did not impact her series win.
We wish Compton a speedy recovery.
