20-year-old CyclelivePlus-Zannatta rider hit by a truck on eve of Amy Gillett anniversary
Daisy Depoorter (CyclelivePlus-Zannatta) was seriously injured yesterday when she was hit by a truck while out training on the morning before the third stage of the Thüringen-Rundfahrt, in Schleiz, eastern Germany. The 20-year-old Belgian was airlifted from the scene to the hospital in Jena, where she spent the night in intensive care, having sustained two broken shoulders, a fractured pelvis and damage to her vertebrae.
The incident occurred on the eve of today’s eighth anniversary of the crash that killed Australian Amy Gillett, and seriously injured teammates Katie Brown, Lorian Graham, Kate Nichols, Alex Rhodes and Louise Yaxley when a teenage drive lost control of her car and ploughed into the riders as they were out training before the race.
“Daisy Depoorter crashed very badly,” CyclelivePlus-Zannatta directeur sportif Heidi van de Vijver confirmed to VeloNation last night. “She dropped out already after the first stage after she crash and was outside the time limit, and today she went out on the bike for one hour of training before the race started on the circuit.
“After 30km two collegues came to me in the caravan and told me Daisy had an accident with a truck,” van de Vijver explained. “Ten minutes later I arrived there and she was in the ambulance. I saw it was very serious.
“They told me there was an helicopter coming to take her to Jena,” van de Vijver continued. “Meanwhile there was the race but they said I couldn’t come or do anything in the first hours. After finish I drove straight to Jena were I had to wait one hour forty before I could see Daisy or get a diagnosis.
“It was very bad with two broken shoulders, and broken pelvis in 2 places,” she explained. “They are keeping her in intensive care tonight and I will hear tomorrow if an operation is necessary.
“When she can have be repatriated to Belgium we hope to hear tomorrow as well.”
Everybody at VeloNation sends Daisy our best wishes and hopes for a fast recovery.