‘I thought can I still win?’: Update from Chloe Dygert after awful crash in World Championship time trial

Chloe Dygert has shared an update after her awful crash at the Imola 2020 World Championships.

The 23-year-old was looking to defend her Worlds elite time trial title in Italy and was dominating the field halfway through the course.

But Dygert suffered a freak crash on a high-speed right hand turn, hitting the crash barrier and being sent into a field below.  

Shortly after the crash, news emerged that Dygert was conscious and talking but the extent of her injuries weren’t clear.

Overnight USA Cycling confirmed she had suffered a laceration to her left leg as a result of the crash.  

Dygert was treated by medics at the scene of the crash and was taken to hospital in Bologna, where she underwent surgery.

She is expected to make a full recovery.

Posting on Twitter after the crash, also sharing a picture of the wounds to her leg, Dygert said: “I remember thinking ‘what if I get my bike, can I still win?’

“The first thing I remember was asking Jim Miller [Chief of sports performance at USA Cycling] if I was done. Then I looked down and saw my leg.

“Thank you for all the well wishes. I’ll be back.”

Dygert, last to set off from the Imola race circuit on the 31.7km course, was well up on her rivals by the intermediate timing point 15km into the race, with 26 seconds over her nearest challenger.

But shortly after the midway mark, Dygert crashed at high-speed when her front wheel started to wobble heading into a rapid right-hand turn.

Dygert was carried into the crash barrier and sent flying over into the drop below.

Jim Miller said: “We are relieved that this crash was not worse than what it could have been. While this crash is distressing, Chloe is young and a fighter.

“With Chloe’s determination, we know she will be back riding before we know it. For now, we want her to focus on healing.”

>>> Imola Road World Championships 2020: men’s individual time trial start list and timings 

Dygert’s coach Kristin Armstrong said: “Chloe is a gifted athlete. She’s had accidents in the past and returned stronger than ever. I have no doubt that this will be the case again.”

Back on the road, Anna van der Breggen (Netherlands) stormed through the second half of the course to take her first Worlds TT title.