Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Edward Theuns of Trek-Segafredo lies injured after a crash during the 37km Individual Time Trial stage 13 of the Tour de France
Edward Theuns of Trek-Segafredo lies injured after a crash during the 37km Individual Time Trial stage 13 of the Tour de France
Edward Theuns of Trek-Segafredo lies injured after a crash during the 37km Individual Time Trial stage 13 of the Tour de France
Edward Theuns of Trek-Segafredo crashes during the 37km Individual Time Trial stage 13 of Le Tour de France from Bourg-Saint-Andeol to La Caverne du Pont D'Arcl Saint-Andeo
Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo) fractured his T12 vertebra after crashing during the stage 13 time trial at the Tour de France. According to a team press release, he will require surgery to correct the unstable break.
The 37km, beginning with at Bourg-Saint-Andéol and ending in La Caverne du Pont-d'Arc, routed along the Gorges de l'Ardèche on the banks of Rhône.
There were strong gusts of wind reported to be as strong as 40 to 50 km/h, and many riders decided against using disc wheels for fear of losing control of their bikes. There was also a technical, tricky, descent along the Col du Serre into the Gorges de l'Ardèche.
Theuns later said in a team press release that the wind picked him up on route, and he appeared to have gone over his handlebars through a hairpin turn and landed on the back of his neck and head in a roadside ditch. He was immediately taken to hospital nearby following the accident.
"I am very disappointed because I was feeling good and was going okay and now suddenly everything comes to a stop. The pain is not bad at the moment, but I am tensed to not move my body and it's very uncomfortable. The pain is OK, but I am a little nervous about the operation.
"I was feeling good in the TT, having a good tempo, and my legs felt good. I was planning to ease back more at the end because I had made a good tempo until then. I came into a downhill corner around kilometre 23 and the wind grabbed my wheel and I had to correct a little and went off the road. I thought I had it, but then hit a tree trunk on the ground and went over my bike and landed quite hard. I directly felt that my back was not OK."
Media type: Twitter Media src: https://twitter.com/TrekSegafredo/status/753962560576036864 Media caption:
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Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.
Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.
She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.
