Armstrong fractures collarbone in Spain crash

Seven-times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong fractured his right collarbone in a crash on the first stage of Spain's Vuelta Castilla y Leon yesterday, the head of his Astana team said.

"Clean collarbone fracture without complications. Should be fast recovery," Astana general manager Johan Bruyneel said in a statement.

Armstrong was caught up in an incident involving a group of riders on the 168.3-km leg between Paredes de Nava and Baltanas and appeared to be in pain as he was helped into an ambulance.

A statement on the race website (www.vueltacastillayleon.com) said the American had been taken to the University Clinic in Valladolid for treatment.

The Vuelta was being closely scrutinised as it was the first and only time Armstrong had been due to race alongside Spanish team-mate Alberto Contador before July's Tour de France.

Contador, the world's best stage-race rider, won the Tour in 2007 and there has been speculation about which of the pair would establish himself as Astana's number one.

Armstrong's injury puts in doubt his participation in the Giro d'Italia, which starts on May 9 in Venice. Similar collarbone injuries typically take four to six weeks to heal.