Gudsell with his January cast (c)RoadCycling.co.nz

Then disaster struck, although Gudsell didn't know the extent of it at the time.

At the feed-station an unknown rider crashed into the kiwi and once again he found himself picking his bike and his body up off the road.  Gudsell got back on the bike and chased hard for two laps but couldn't recover back to the peloton.  Race over.

Gudsell says he was annoyed at the crash but felt good and was looking forward to a couple more races before the season's end, but when three days had passed and his elbow was still sore he decided he needed a checkup.

He walked out of the medical clinic with his arm in a cast, a broken elbow.

"Still in disbelief days later, as I prepare to return home with my arm in plaster, just like I arrived 8 months ago."

Read the season round-ups of all the kiwi internationals..

Greg Henderson, Peter Latham, Alex Meenhorst, Tim Gudsell, OEX Team Enterprise, Matt Sillars, Roman Van Uden, Alex McGregor, Heath Blackgrove, Wade Mangham, Glen Chadwick, Genevieve Whitson, George Bennett, Logan Hutchings, Michael Torckler, Josie Giddens, Jesse Sergent, Tom David, Jack Bauer, Sam Bewley, Rushlee Buchanan, Clinton Avery, Ryan Wills, Cath Cheatley plus recent interviews with Alison Shanks, Hayden Roulston and Jo Kiesanowski. More to come...