Tiesj Benoot fractures neck in training crash
The Jumbo-Visma rider says he is 'doing OK' after he is hospitalized in Italy.
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Tiesj Benoot has suffered a fractured neck after a training crash while riding in the Italian Alps at the weekend.
News about the Jumbo-Visma rider’s accident broke in the Belgian media Monday night with Het Laatste Nieuws reporting that he had collided with a car that had pulled out of a parking lot while he was on a descent. However, the team has not confirmed the details of the crash.
Benoot issued an update on his condition Tuesday morning, saying that he was “never in a life-threatening situation,” but he had sustained some major injuries as a result of the incident.
“First of all, I want to let everyone know that I’m doing ok,” he wrote on Instagram. “Yesterday, I was involved in a crash in the Italian Alps. I’m now in the hospital, receiving good medical care to recover from the crash. Despite the seriousness of the situation — examinations showed that I suffered a small fracture in my neck — I was never in a life-threatening situation, and I am stable.
“Thanks everyone for sending me all your kind messages. In the following weeks, I will fully focus on my recovery.”
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No prognosis has been given on the length of time it will take Benoot to recover from his injuries, but it is unlikely that he will compete again during the 2022 season.
According to the Het Laatste Nieuws report, Benoot had been in Italy with his family to take part in a personal altitude training camp in Livigno to prepare for the final part of the season. The Belgian, who joined Jumbo-Visma over the winter, had been on good form following the Tour de France and had recently finished third at the Clásica San Sebastián.
Work is now underway to ensure Benoot’s return to Belgium, where he will continue his recovery.