Injured Aussie climber Matt Lloyd released by his team? For 'behavioural reasons'? That sounds about right

Or is he simply injured and struggling to regain form? He has been in the wars physically, especially with the back injury, and coming back to top form after any injury is hard enough (some of us never get back at all, do we?). Well that may well be, but you'd imagine Lotto would stand by him for at least a full season. As a side issue he is also just a bit too philosophical about life, isn't he? And we can't have that! Let's put him in the 'too much like Cadel' basket and move on. Perhaps he'll get an offer from BMC in due course?

SBS: Cycling Central : Lloyd released by Omega Pharma-Lotto

The Belgian Omega Pharma-Lotto team announced today the termination of its contract with Australian rider Matt Lloyd.

The team strongly clarified that doping was not behind the decision but hinted at unspecified behavioral reasons for the termination of the specialist climber.

Omega Pharma-Lotto Release Matt Lloyd | Cyclingnews.com

Lloyd won the climber's competition at the 2010 Giro d'Italia but had a difficult winter after being hit by a car in Melbourne in December. He underwent surgery on his shoulder and also suffered spinal injuries.

Omega Pharma-Lotto Release Matt Lloyd | Cyclingnews.com

"Of late, subconscious elements have crept in slowly and steadily leading to a bogus phase of being so eager to be involved mixed with the slow process of recovery we cannot be 100 percent sure the first race will be of the highest quality, but thankfully the people surrounding me have blessed me with the confidence to once again feel the heat around the corner. Not to mention a brilliant team who’ve given me the opportunity to once again step it up a notch in order to remain directly driven towards the event I anticipate the most - The Giro D’Italia..

"If I've been bleeding in places you cant see, and feeling the affects of doors being locked, I’ve called the people who change the locks, and the gate is open...All I have to do is ‘open the gate’.."

Lloyd Suffers Second Training Accident In Three Months | Cyclingnews.com

"There was a lady and she was on her way to a Valentine's date and she was late," he explained. "She turned into a driveway and she wasn't looking. She said, 'sorry, sorry I'm running late for my Valentine's date.' I said, 'don't worry about it it's just my knee, make sure you're not late for cupid's arrow.' She was pretty nice and I just thought, shit happens, let it go."

Lloyd Breaks Shoulder, Injures Back In Training Accident | Cyclingnews.com

It is his second back injury, following damage to his lower back in a crash at the Amstel Gold Race in 2009. “There’s damage to two or three parts of the upper part of the spine, which is okay for me because I think last year I broke seven of the lower ones so I’m trying to spread it out a bit,’’ Lloyd said.

The X Rays show it’s (vertebrae) a bit buckled and twisted due to the swelling, but generally according to what (the doctors) said that can slowly repair itself and everything can come back together quite smoothly.