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CYCLING

Annual cycling event takes dramatic turn

A female cyclist was seriously injured in Vätternrundan, the world's largest recreational cycling event in which thousands of participants race around Sweden's second biggest lake.

Published: 15 June 2013 14:00 CEST
Annual cycling event takes dramatic turn

The woman was admitted to the Ryhov hospital in Jönköping, southern Sweden on Saturday. According to local news reports it was a single-person accident.

On Saturday afternoon, Eva-Lena Frick, CEO of Vätternrundan, told news agency TT that the organizers did not have any details about the circumstances of the accident but had received notice that the woman was in a stable condition.

“We do not know what caused the accident,” Frick said.

Vätternrundan is an annual event in which around 20,000 participants complete a 300-kilometre circuit around Lake Vättern.

The event started at 7.30pm on Friday night and finished at 6.30am on Saturday morning.

Every year, around 50 cyclists end up in hospital during the race, according to TT.

“We get a few wrist fractures, collarbone fractures, grazes and the odd concussion. Accidents with cars involved are thankfully extremely rare,” said Frick.

All participants have to sign a form vowing not to drive for at least six hours after completing Vätternrundan.

The event got off to a dramatic start on Thursday when a dog attacked one of the participating cyclists. He flew off his bike, landing on his face.

The dog, called Atos, had been missing for over a week and Facebook page titled “Atos wants to go home” was set up to help find him.

TT/The Local/nr Follow The Local on Twitter

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CYCLING

Swiss rider dies after fall into ravine on Tour of Switzerland

Swiss rider Gino Maeder has died from the injuries he sustained when he plunged into a ravine during a stage of the Tour of Switzerland, his team Bahrain-Victorious said on Friday.

Published: 16 June 2023 12:54 CEST
Swiss rider dies after fall into ravine on Tour of Switzerland

Maeder, 26, fell during a high-speed descent on the fifth stage between Fiesch and La Punt on Thursday, after an exhausting day marked by three ascents over 2,000 metres altitude.

He had been found “lifeless in the water” of a ravine below the road, “immediately resuscitated then transported to the hospital in Chur by air”, organisers said.

But the next day, “Gino lost his battle to recover from the serious injuries he sustained,” Bahrain-Victorious said in a statement.

“It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we must announce the passing of Gino Mäder,” his team wrote in a statement.

“On Friday June 16th, following a very serious fall during the fifth stage of the Tour de Suisse, Gino lost his fight to recover from the serious injuries he had suffered. Our entire team is devastated by this tragic accident, and our thoughts and prayers are with Gino’s family and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time.”

“Despite the best efforts of the phenomenal staff at Chur hospital, Gino couldn’t make it through this, his final and biggest challenge, and at 11:30am we said goodbye to one of the shining lights of our team,” the team said in a statement.

Maeder had enjoyed a strong start to the season, finishing fifth in the Paris-Nice race.

American rider Magnus Sheffield also fell on the same descent from Albula, during the most difficult stage of the race with multiple climbs. The Ineos-Grenadiers rider was hospitalised with “bruises and concussion,” organisers said.

On Thursday, world champion Remco Evenepoel criticised the decision to compete on such a dangerous road.

“While a summit finish would have been perfectly possible, it wasn’t a good decision to let us finish down this dangerous descent,” the Belgian wrote on Twitter.

“As riders, we should also think about the risks we take going down a mountain.”

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