EF Education-Nippo rider Daniel Arroyave was knocked from his bike in a collision with a car on Tuesday, during a training ride, in his home country of Colombia. The force of the crash caused his Cannondale bike to snap in two.
Thankfully Arroyave didn't sustain any serious injuries, and walks away from the incident relatively unscathed with some minor cuts.
Arroyave was on a training ride with two fellow cyclists near Llanogrande, in the Antioquia region, when the driver of a vehicle knocked him off his bike. WielerFlits reported that eyewitnesses claimed the driver drove carelessly.
Images circulated of the 21-year-old sat on the ground with his helmet and cleats off, clutching his right elbow. However, he has since provided an update to fans on social media, through ESPN Ciclismo's account.
In a video message, Arroyave said: “Thank God it's nothing serious. I am okay. I only have some cuts.
“I would like to ask car drivers to pay more attention to cyclists and walkers. Today it was me, tomorrow it could be someone else. It can cost a life. Equipment can be replaced, but a life cannot. I want to ask people that they should look out for each other. We all share the same road.”
It is fortunate that the Colombian only suffered minor injuries, especially considering the significance of the impact that caused his Cannondale bike frame to snap in two through the downtube. There is also a crumpled section of the seat tube as a result of the crash.
Arroyave has just completed his first season at WorldTour level with EF Education-Nippo, after joining from amateur team UAE Team Colombia. He struggled to make an impression during the year, missing races through nasty falls and resulting injuries.
DNFs in seven of the ten races he competed in indicates his bad luck, but a fourth-place finish in the Mountains Classification of the Tour de Pologne suggests there are signs of promising talent - not to mention the fact he won the U23 Colombia National Road Race Championships in 2020.
