2024 Leadville Trail 100 MTB winner Melisa Rollins suffered a broken left elbow and injured right wrist in a “freak accident” today and will not take the start at Absa Cape Epic with teammate Kate Courtney.
The top-rated US duo, assigned bibs ‘number one’ for She Sends Foundation, were scheduled to start Saturday for the prologue in the eight-day mountain bike stage race. Rollins posted the surprise news on her social media about injuries and race withdrawal from Stellenbosch, Western Cape, her pain loud and clear after receiving care at a hospital emergency room.
“I had a freak accident fall that landed me in the ER with a broken elbow and a potentially broken wrist… and I won’t be making it to the start line for Cape Epic this week. To say I’m gutted doesn’t even really scratch the surface,” Rollins detailed on Instagram.
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“It’s really hard to put into words what it took to get here. We were so ready. I guess the Cape Epic just isn’t quite ready for Kate / Melisa duo.”
“For now, it’s back to the US for surgery and recovery… and a lot of time figuring out how to be productive with two dysfunctional arms…again.
“I’m sooo thankful for Kate through all of this. She’s become one of those rare inner-circle friends you want to call just to vent because someone looked at you funny at the mall. Getting to prepare for this race alongside her is something I’ll always be grateful for, and I’ll carry forward,” Rollins noted, and gave a warning for an image of the “gnarly swollen elbow” on the feed.
Across the eight days at Cape Epic, two-rider teams will take in 707 kilometres of raw South African wilderness that includes 15,900 meters of elevation gain. The total prize split evenly for the professional fields is R228,000 (€12,074/$14,000).
“I know better than anyone what Melisa and her team put into this race. But I also know better than anyone what she was capable of because of it (trust me ),” said Courtney in an Instagram post.
“I don’t know how this story ends for either of us – but I have a deep deep belief that you will get to show what you capable of some day soon Melisa.”