Gaia Realini suffers training setback with elbow fracture

Gaia Realini fracture elbow 2025

Gaia Realiniโ€™s preparations for the 2025 cycling season have taken a hit, with the Italian climber confirming she suffered a fractured elbow following a training crash.

The 23-year-old Lidl-Trek rider shared the news on Instagram, expressing her gratitude towards her team and the medical professionals supporting her recovery. โ€œA few days ago I crashed in training, a small fracture in my elbow which certainly wasnโ€™t necessary,โ€ she wrote. โ€œBut thanks to the team Lidl-Trek and the professionals at Clinica San Martino, Prof. Andrea Ghezzi, and Dott. Fusi, everything will be fine! The season hasnโ€™t started yet, and the best is yet to come!โ€

Despite the setback, Realini remains optimistic about the year ahead. The Italian has yet to confirm her schedule for 2025 but is listed among the provisional participants for the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, which begins on 13th February. Whether she will recover in time to compete remains uncertain.

Realini is entering her third season with Lidl-Trek after making a strong impression during her debut year. Her standout performances in 2023 included second place in the UAE Tour, third in La Vuelta Femenina, and another third-place finish in the Giro dโ€™Italia. Last year, she continued to deliver results, finishing seventh in the Giro and claiming fifth in the Tour de France Femmes general classification.