Egan Bernal crash. Damn.

[rain dogs]

Man, hoping for a speedy recovery.

I know it's best to not speculate, but did someone see somewhere that the bus was "parked". It's clearly stopped, but that looks like it's on a roadway. I'd be willing to bet it stopped and Bernal hit it... perhaps not expecting the stop.

It doesn't look like a place you'd park a bus like that.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by rain dogs

I know it's best to not speculate, but did someone see somewhere that the bus was "parked". It's clearly stopped, but that looks like it's on a roadway. I'd be willing to bet it stopped and Bernal hit it... perhaps not expecting the stop.

It doesn't look like a place you'd park a bus like that.

From a report on Cyclingnews.com:

According to Colombian police, Bernal crashed into the back of the bus, which he did not notice was stopped on side of the road. A photo shared on social media showed him on his back on the ground behind the bus, which was halfway in the travel lane and had a heavily-dented rear bumper and panel.

"Today, Ineos were training with our athlete Egan Bernal, and they came across a bus parked on the verge on the right-hand side. Unfortunately, our cyclist did not see it and collided with it," said colonel Juan Carlos Castro, from the department for transit and transport.

[robt57]

Possibly like when Alaphilippe plowed into the MC. Guy he was drafting pulled out to avoid and too late to react for the crashee..

One possibility...

[robt57]

Originally Posted by tomato coupe

If that's Bernal's bike, then I want one! It's still in pristine condition after denting a frickin' bus! And, his teammate is on a road bike ...

Perhaps wrongly, i assumed if the team is out on TT rigs, they all would be?

I wondered if you meant 'his' bike...

[tomato coupe]

Originally Posted by robt57

Perhaps wrongly, i assumed if the team is out on TT rigs, they all would be?

I wondered if you meant 'his' bike...

I don't know if Bernal was on a TT bike or a road bike. The TT bike held by a teammate is clearly not Bernal's. There is a bike underneath Bernal, but you can't see many details in the photo. The color scheme appears to be more like the team TT bike than the road bike, but there are two teammates with road bikes, so it's unlikely they were doing a team TT practice.

Obviously, everyone hopes he will have a full, speedy recovery. The good news is that, despite being skinny little guys, pro cyclists are tough as nails.

[denapista]

In the 1st picture, you can clearly see a TT brake lever by his knee while he's on the ground. My guess is that bike is mangled, the reason why that brake lever is in that position which would be the result of an impact..

It's either a TT bike or a bike with TT bars that required a TT brake lever..

[GregL]

Ineos and multiple cycling news outlets are reporting Bernal was on his TT bike. One news site reported the bus stopped halfway on the shoulder of the road to drop off a passenger. Head down on a TT bike, focusing on position and speed, had to be one of the worst possible ways to hit a stopped, large vehicle. Likely traveling very fast (~30 MPH?), little or no time to react and grab the brakes or swerve around the vehicle. My sincere best wishes for a full recovery!

Greg

[glepore]

Originally Posted by GregL

Ineos and multiple cycling news outlets are reporting Bernal was on his TT bike. One news site reported the bus stopped halfway on the shoulder of the road to drop off a passenger. Head down on a TT bike, focusing on position and speed, had to be one of the worst possible ways to hit a stopped, large vehicle. Likely traveling very fast (~30 MPH?), little or no time to react and grab the brakes or swerve around the vehicle. My sincere best wishes for a full recovery!

Greg

Yes, this. I'm very concerned about the reported cervical injury, that could be life altering.

[Spdntrxi]

he's definately wearing a TT helmet as well

[Elefantino]

Froome's injury, while not in the same location but apparently as severe, is instructive. You don't bounce back quickly. What Bernal has going for him is that he's just 25. Can't help but remember Joseba Beloki's crash in the '03 Tour; he was 29 and never came close to winning a race after that.

[flying]

Good Night! I hope he comes thru surgery all right.
That is a terrible crash regardless of what bike he was on

For a tiny guy like him on a light carbon bike to make that kind of smash into the rear of that bus is an incredible hard hit!

Just hope he is comes out of this all right

[jake_m]

Worth noting that he's a former junior WC podium mountain biker, if anyone could have kept it upright here I think he'd be one to do it.

Such a special rider, though -- when I saw the news I went back and watched the last kilometer of the ski slope stage from the Giro this year. Just incredible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irFH0KmImq0

[tctyres]

Sorry to read this. The next few days determine how long his recovery will be.

[steelbikerider]

Not too many riders return to form after a broken femur, The only one I can recall is Johan Museuw winning Paris Roubaix. Shapiro (US rider in the 80's) Beloki, Froome never came close to their form before the break.
Unfortunately, I have had 2, one on each leg with lots of metal involved in the repair. The first one happened on the velodrome about 35 years ago. months on crutches, riding again after 5 months, racing 2 years later. Went from a mid pack cat 2 to field filler 3. Most recent was 3 months ago, walking with no cane but still limping. I'm a Zwifter now.

[Elefantino]

From a Colombian journalist: “After an explanation of this technical language from a medical specialist in this field, I understand that we no longer talk about cycling. Everything that happens in the next few hours will be ensuring Egan Bernal's quality of life after this accident”

Just gutted if this is true and hoping it’s not.