British sprinter Victoria Williamson in hospital after serious Rotterdam Six-Day crash
British sprinter crashes heavily during Rotterdam Six-Day event, fracturing her pelvis, vertebrae and ribs
Great Britain track sprinter Victoria Williamson crashed heavily during the Rotterdam Six-Day on Saturday evening, fracturing several vertebrae, ribs and her pelvis.
The 22-year-old from Norfolk was taken to hospital in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, where she is currently in a stable and non-life threatening condition after surgery. British Cycling reports that she will remain in hospital for the next few days for monitoring.
Williamson collided with Dutch rider Elis Ligtlee during a heat of the sprint. The race organiser cancelled the remainder of the evening's events in the wake of the incident.
Williamson's injuries will likely rule her out of competing in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
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"Victoria is being very well looked after here in Rotterdam and the well-wishes people have been sending her are very much appreciated," said Great Britain Cycling Team sprint coach Justin Grace.
"She gave us all a scare last night and while her injuries are serious they are not life-threatening.
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"From a performance point of view this is another injury to deal with - Victoria has a long road to recovery ahead of her but her health is the highest priority for the whole team and we'll make sure she receives the best possible care."
Williamson's father, Mark, stated on Twitter early on Sunday morning that her neurological signs were stable.
Ligtlee was also taken to hospital but was released after being checked for injuries.
Williamson secured a bronze medal in the team sprint at the 2013 World Championships, partnered with Becky James.
In another blow to GB selectors, British team pursuiter Katie Archibald revealed on Sunday in her Herald Scotland column that she had ruptured a ligament in her knee and fractured her elbow during a crash a month ago. She will miss the forthcoming Track World Championships in March to focus on rehabilitation before the 2016 Games.
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Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.
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