Rebecca Henderson (Orbea Factory) may have just taken a 12th consecutive elite cross-country title in a row on Sunday at the GWM Mountain Bike National Championships, but it was pain rather than joy plastered across her face as she slumped to the ground clutching her shoulder immediately after overcoming Isabella Flint (Cervélo Australia Off-Road) in the sprint that decided the tight battle.
The 33-year-old was feeling the impact of a crash in the opening lap of the race and after medical checks the reason for her pained expression was crystal clear – it turned out that she had raced to victory in the brutal wet and windy conditions with a fractured shoulder.
