March 20, 2006 – Canadian road cyclist Lyne Bessette (Knowlton QC) has withdrawn from all competitions at the 2006 Commonwealth Games due to a shoulder injury she suffered earlier in the week.

Bessette dislocated her shoulder in a training crash last Wednesday, but had hoped to be able to recover well enough to compete in the road time trial tomorrow. However, the joint dislocated again and a subsequent MRI has revealed that the joint is too unstable for her to be able to race.

Bessette will leave for Canada on Tuesday (March 21) where she will consult with a medical specialist to decide if surgery is necessary to repair the joint. Bessette has requested that media not contact her directly for the next week, to give her time to evaluate her injury.

“It could have happened anywhere – it’s just bad luck,” said Bessette of the training crash that caused the injury. “I’d like to wish success to the whole team.”

“Above all I’d like to thank the medical support staff and all of the national team staff. I’ve had all the support that I could have wished for,” she added.

“The Canadian team is, of course, as disappointed as Lyne is with the circumstances,” said cycling High Performance Director Kris Westwood. “But the athlete’s health is always the top priority and I’m confident Lyne will be able to make a complete recovery.”