National Road Series cyclists injured in horrific crash with police motorbike
Some of the nation’s top cyclists are recovering in hospital after they were involved in an horrific crash with a police motorbike.
A group of Australia’s top cyclists have been rushed to hospital after they were involved in an horrific crash with a police motorbike.
The athletes were barely on their first lap of the Men’s National Road Series, in the north of NSW, just after 7am yesterday when they sped around a bend.
Just around the blind country road corner, near Murwillumbah, was a police officer on his motorbike, tasked with ensuring safety at the event.
The police officer had stopped briefly to allow a local resident out of their driveway, not realising the cyclists were just behind him.
The group of 10 cyclists smashed into the back of the motorbike, falling over each other and piling up across the road.
The entire group, including the police officer, were injured in the crash, with one of the nation’s top cyclists being put in an induced coma to deal with the pain.
Ben Carman, 25, was injured so badly he was flown to hospital with severe injuries.
The star cyclist later took to Instagram to thank everyone for the support after waking up in Gold Coast University Hospital.
“I am awake and out of surgery, but don’t have a whole lot of information regarding the extent of the damage myself yet,” he said.
“At the moment it looks like I will be in hospital for little while, but I am getting well looked after.”
Speaking to reporters after the horrific incident, NSW Ambulance paramedic Grant Prendergast said Mr Carman had “some quite serious injuries to his lower legs”.
The remaining cyclists were taken to hospitals around the Tweed region with possible fractures, cuts and abrasions to their legs. Others had minor head injuries.
Race director Michael Crawley told 9 News the crash was just a horrible accident.
“It was a very strong field of national riders. It’s a very unfortunate situation,” Mr Crawley said.
“Nobody likes to see anybody hurt.”
Mr Crawley insisted the event had put safety at the forefront, employing police, ambulance and dozens of helpers to ensure the race went smoothly.