Remco Evenepoel fell during a training ride and the damage is considerable. The Belgian time trialist and classification rider has been taken to hospital. That reports Sporza Tuesday morning. In any case, Evenepoel broke his left collarbone in the collision. Further research must show whether there is anything else wrong with the little Belgian. A big setback, right on the threshold of the next season.
The accident happened in Oetingen, Flemish Brabant. Evenepoel is said to have crashed into a postal company van and hit the ground hard after a collision. The door of this bus would have opened exactly at the moment that Evenepoel raced past. The Belgian was conscious and was later lifted into the ambulance on a stretcher.
It is not yet clear how the accident could happen. The leader of Soudal Quick-Step was still in the news on Tuesday morning with his new book. Eyewitnesses told their stories when they went to the location VTM. ‘Evenepoel drove towards Kerkplein when a bpost postman stopped and threw open his door. Remco could no longer avoid the door and ran straight into it. His bike was completely in half,” one man said.
Evenepoel’s wife Oumi came to the scene after the accident, where her husband’s broken bicycle was folded and placed in the trunk. ‘Remco was as pale as my wife’s apron. He sat on a chair for a while before being taken away by ambulance. This must be disastrous for Remco. How I saw him sitting here, all shriveled up and as pale as a ghost. You could see on his face that he was really in a lot of pain,” he continued.
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Wife Oumi, father Patrick and team leader Lefevere on site
The woman who answered the door was reportedly ‘severely shaken’. “The mail truck door jamb was also creased. Remco of course had high speed. Things are going a bit downhill here. During the Gooikse Pijl speeds of 70 kilometers per hour are reached here. He probably wouldn’t have ridden that fast today, but in full descent… that would have easily been 40 kilometers per hour.’
Evenepoel’s father has already responded in Belgian media. “We are still on our way, but we don’t know much anymore,” father Patrick Evenepoel said. ‘He was taken to the Erasmus Hospital in Anderlecht under the supervision of a MUG team. He already sent us a message, so we hope everything is okay.’
Patrick Lefevere, team boss of Soudal Quick-Step, also responded to the accident Sporza. ‘It’s better that his bike is in half than his arm. Someone who knows our caregiver David Geeroms saw it all happen. That’s how we found out. Unfortunately, such accidents happen five times a day, people who do not pay attention and open their door. Remco has pain in his shoulder and hand. Our doctor is working on it.’
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