A French pro has suffered multiple nasty injuries after a dog ran in front of him on a training ride.
Ag2r La Mondiale’s Mikaël Cherel shared an update on his social media from hospital after the crash, as he was due to spend the night in medical care.
Cherel suffered a number of injuries, including a double collarbone fracture, two broken ribs and a collapsed lung.
He added that the dog’s owner quickly fled the scene after the fall, leaving him injured on the ground.
The 34-year-old said on Instagram on Tuesday (November 25): “I obviously can’t blame this dog for hitting me this morning, crossing the road right in front of me.
“Nor even to this lady walking on the seafront and from whom this animal has escaped … But rather to her act of cowardice, that of escaping at the very moment when my body was lying on the ground.
“Fortunately, Clement, Adrien and John were there. Pascaline and Christian have arrived. Thank you. Thanks also to first aid, to the fire brigade and to Manu from the polyclinic.”
“Since then, the CT scan has revealed a double collarbone fracture, 2 broken ribs and a pneumothorax. As they say, it could be worse.”
“I will remain under observation tonight.”
Cherel has spent his entire career on the two biggest French teams in cycling, first FDJ and then Ag2r La Mondiale from 2011.
Despite his lengthy career, riding 14 Grand Tours and 23 Monuments, Cherel has never won a pro race.
His best ever result was second on a stage of the Tour de Romandie in 2011, but he has also finished in the top 20 of the Tour de France.
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This season he helped support Romain Bardet at the Tour, but it was another disappointment for Grand Tour hopeful Bardet as he was forced to abandon the race on stage 14.
Cherel had another dramatic moment earlier this year during the Tour, when he was involved in a crash with Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s Bob Jungels in the final moments of stage nine, leaving him stranded with a damaged bike just short of the finish line.
But luckily for the Frenchman, the Deceuninck car was on hand and after getting Bob Jungels back on the bike, team staff then kindly assisted Cherel by giving him Julian Alaphilippe’s spare bike.
