Winn in fitness race for the Olympics (From Free Press Series)

Winn in fitness race for the Olympics

JULIAN Winn admits he is facing a race against time to get ready for the Olympics after suffering a knee injury in Serbia, writes Gary Baker.

The Abergavenny 31-year-old started the Celtic Manor British Road Race Championships on Sunday, but lasted less than 40 miles of the 117-mile contest before dropping out.

On Monday, with fears of serious damage, medics at the Welsh Institute of Sport, Cardiff, believe he has suffered tendon damage after crashing into a high kerb on a central reservation during the Tour of Serbia last Sunday week.

And they have advised ten days rest and treatment before he can get his build-up to the Olympics in gear.

Winn, the 2002 National Road Race champion, who only heard about his selection for Athens a few weeks ago, had more treatment on Tuesday morning and is going to Swansea as well to keep a date with a specialist to confirm Monday's diagnosis.

But, despite having to postpone his Olympic preparations, which should have started on Monday, Winn thinks he can get himself race fit in time for the Olympic road race.

He said: "It's a race against time, but not an emergency against time. It's more morale which has been hit. It's happened, nobody has died and I've just got to get on with it.

"I will definitely be fit. If my knee responds, I will be 100 percent ready. I only need two or three weeks.

"The tendons became inflamed from the hit. The physio had a look at it. She touched one point on the knee and it hurt so much and she was able to diagnose as tendonitis."

Winn's problems ought to be over now if the old adage of 'three times for a Welshman' rings true as this is his third blow in a couple of months.

It has resulted in a couple of breaks from training and he said: "After the rests I've had to have, I feel physically fit and fresh and I'm raring to go.

"One thing I'm good at is getting myself in shape in a short space of time.

"It has messed up my training because I cannot start the programme that I had set out. "My condition is good and it just needs racing and training - and no more injuries."

Nicole Cooke, also on her way to Athens, is recovering from a similar injury. Winn added: "Now I know how Nicole felt."