Roads: Hutchinson still fighting to be fit for TT

Ian Hutchinson has admitted he still doesn’t know whether he’ll be fit for this year’s TT as he continues to recover from the injuries he sustained after crashing out of last year’s Senior race.

Hutchinson re-broke the left leg and ankle he has had so many issues with over the last seven years and while the damage to both his ankle and femur has healed nicely, surgeons had to break and lengthen his tibia to recover the bone lost from the ankle and that lengthening process is taking longer than he’d initially have liked.

“I honestly don’t know if I’ll be racing at the moment,” he said at last week’s TT launch. “I’m doing everything I can do, but I didn’t think I would be in this situation. I thought my frame would be off at the end of January. 

“My ankle was removed and fused and that’s fine now, but it’s what we’ve had to do to compensate for that that hasn’t. They removed the middle of my ankle completely and fused the bone, then had to break my tibia which was the only bit of leg that had survived and lengthen it. It’s the second time it’s been lengthened from the same spot and it’s taking it’s time. In a good way, it’s not a fracture that’s playing up and I might have to go back in for surgery. It’s doing its job and it’s growing but it’s just a little slow. 

“I’ll be disappointed if I miss the TT. I’ve missed a few in the last seven years but there’s nothing can be done about it. I’m putting everything I can in to ensure that when the frame does come off I’m able to get back on the bike and be ready for it, safe and competitive. I went last week for an X-Ray and half of me wanted him to say there’s absolutely no chance as I could stop trying to put myself through hell to be fit and train with the frame on, but on the other side I want him to tell me I can take it off! He didn’t say either, but realistically it has to be off by the end of April for there to be any chance of me being fit so we’re giving it one more month and will go from there.”