A highly dramatic situation unfolded during the European Time Trial Championships. Stefan Küng had a high-speed crash, severely damaging his helmet.
The transmitted images were shocking. His time up to that point would certainly have taken him to the podium. Kung was solely focused on the road markings, which prevented him from noticing the barriers narrowing dangerously ahead, leading to a dramatic and high-speed crash.
What wasn’t shown on TV was Küng’s immediate return to the bike, and it’s still unknown whether it was the same one that suffered damage or if it was replaced. Even with his broken and bloodied helmet, he persevered and managed to complete the race with an impressive 11th position in the final time.
This sparked heated reactions on social media about how he was allowed to resume racing in that condition, possibly suffering head injuries or a concussion, which clearly wasn’t tested for after the accident.
Surely enough, this has now been confirmed by the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad. Two fractures in his hand, a crack in his cheekbone, and a concussion have been diagnosed. With this diagnosis, the Groupama-FDJ cyclist will end his season immediately.