Jenn Jackson was having a great race on a wild day in Leogang, sitting comfortably inside the top 10 through three laps. Then it all went wrong. The Canadian national champ crashed, and was forced to withdraw from the race.
While a DNF hurts, it’s the aftermath that really bites. Jackson shared that she fractured her patella in the crash.
“The injury pain is what it is, but emotional waves are hitting hardest: I really think I was in a place to do some of my best bike racing ever in this block, and now those opportunities are gone,” Jackson said, adding “Will do everything I can to be back as best I can, when I can… ”
Jackson shared imaging of the injury post-surgery, pre-surgery and, for the brave that don’t get squeamish, a photo of the injury immediately post-race.
The injury adds salt to the wound of a frustrating weekend for Jackson in Austria. On Friday, she was on the front of the Short Track (XCC) World Cup when she crashed with two laps to go in the short, 20-minute race. That fall, which happened on the same corner numerous elite men and women crashed on, left Jackson covered in mud but injured. On Sunday in the XCO, she wasn’t so lucky.
Here’s hoping the national champ can recover quickly and get back to the front of the racing. It’s been thrilling watching her put the maple leaf on the front of World Cup’s all year so far.