FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP
Remco Evenepoel, here during the world championships in Zurich, Switzerland, September 29, 2024.
CYCLING – It is a cycling accident that affects more than 300 cyclists per year in Belgium. Earlier this month, Remco Evenepoel was hospitalized after hitting the door of a postal vehicle that the driver had just opened. A week later, the double Olympic champion cyclist, who suffers from multiple fractures, joined forces with bpost (Belgian Post) as part of a prevention campaign against this type of accident.
“Bpost, in partnership with the R.Ev Academy, is launching a prevention campaign against door accidents, also called “dooring””indicates a press release from bpost.
Concretely, a sticker bearing the image of the Belgian champion (to see in the publication below) will be affixed to door windows to remind motorists to check for the presence of cyclists before getting out of their vehicle, according to Belgian Post.
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bpost drivers, already trained in this “(so-called) Dutch technique” – open the door with the opposite hand to better check the arrival of cyclists and/or pedestrians -, will be the first equipped with this sticker, which will be installed on the entire postal fleet. The general public can obtain the sticker free of charge via the Le Réflexe Remco website.
“Road users must be attentive to each other”for his part recalled Remco Evenepoel.
Many fractures for Remco Evenepoel
According to Vias, the Belgian institute for road safety, 339 cyclists were injured in 2023 after hitting a vehicle door. And, that same year, 98 of the 501 deaths recorded on the roads of Belgium concerned cyclists.
On December 3 near Brussels, Remco Evenepoel was unable to avoid a bpost car whose postwoman had suddenly opened the door.
The 24-year-old cyclist suffered fractures to a rib, his right shoulder blade, a hand and suffers contusions to his lungs and a dislocation of his right clavicle. “which caused a tear in all the surrounding ligaments”according to a message he published on X after having had surgery.
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The Belgian is only expected to return to training at the end of January.
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