Remco Evenepoel, a double Olympic champion, was hospitalized following an accident during a training ride. The athlete sustained several injuries, including fractures to his hand, shoulder blade, and ribs.
The athlete, who claimed gold in the men’s road race and time trial at the Paris Olympics, crashed into an open door of a postal vehicle while he was training in Oetingen, Belgium.
Moreover, according to his team Soudal-Quick Step, the Belgian athlete was also reported to suffer from contusions on both lungs and a dislocated collarbone, and is scheduled to be operated on. Evenepoel remained conscious after the incident.
Soudal-Quick Step manager Patrick Lefevere stated on Sporza, Belgium’s state-funded sports website: “His bike broke in two in that incident, but it’s better to split his bike in two than his arm.”
The team added: “Following an incident while training today, Remco Evenepoel was taken to hospital where it was revealed that he has sustained fractures to his rib, right shoulder blade and his right hand.”
Evenepoel’s father Patrick also stated in a Belgian newspaper: “He has already sent us a message, so we hope everything is OK.”
If Evenepoel is discharged from the hospital following a successful collarbone procedure, he will need to be immobilized for a couple of weeks before planning for his return to training, as per his team.
Source: BBC