Skip to main content

Speed Cycling

A South African cyclist suffered a serious crash during a race in his country, due to an antelope’s lack of awareness of road rules. The cyclist was knocked off his bicycle by a Red Hartebeest buck, which charged across the dirt road he was riding along. The cyclist saw the animal spring from the side of the road but there was little he could do to stop. The antelope dazedly stood up following the impact and then bounded away, apparently unhurt. However the cyclist was left sprawled in the grass.
August 10, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
A South African cyclist suffered a serious crash during a race in his country, due to an antelope’s lack of awareness of road rules. The cyclist was knocked off his bicycle by a Red Hartebeest buck, which charged across the dirt road he was riding along. The cyclist saw the animal spring from the side of the road but there was little he could do to stop. The antelope dazedly stood up following the impact and then bounded away, apparently unhurt. However the cyclist was left sprawled in the grass. Footage of the incident was captured by another racer. The cyclist was taken to hospital but did not suffer any serious injuries, despite his helmet shattering with the impact and he was discharged the following morning. Meanwhile in the US a number of road cyclists suffered an embarrassing crash, which was also captured on camera. One cyclist lost control on a bend and crashed into metal barriers by the roadside on the route of the race, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The peloton of riders following closely behind also became involved, with another rider hitting the barriers and one falling off as he collided with a barrier that had been thrown into the road. There were no injuries, other than bruised egos.

Related Content

  • Road safety challenge for Europe
    June 25, 2012
    The latest official figures on road safety in Europe are giving cause for concern, with data showing that casualty reduction has slowed. EU transport commissioner Siim Kallas recently announced disappointing progress in casualty reduction on Europe's roads. The joint European police association, TISPOL, has added that it is also concerned that improvements in cutting fatalities on Europe’s roads significantly slowed in 2011. The overall figure shows a reduction of just 2% in the total number of people kille
  • High demand for German-made construction machinery
    February 14, 2018
    The German construction equipment industry is in the middle of a boom, according to data from the country’s equipment manufacturing body, the VDMA. A new report highlights that turnover and incoming orders saw a double-digit increase in 2017 and Germany manufacturers are starting 2018 with a high degree of optimism. According to the VDMA figures, the German construction equipment industry ended 2017 with turnover of €10.8 billion– an increase of 15% compared to the previous year. It is the fourth
  • IRF Geneva highlights making roads safe: a priority for all
    May 15, 2014
    IRF Geneva’s Susanna Zammataro highlights the importance of the Federation’s ongoing commitment to the work of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration, with which she serves as co-chair of the project group dedicated to Safer Roads and Mobility On 10th April, the United Nations General Assembly was due to discuss a new global road safety resolution. For those who might dismiss this as just another piece of paper condemned to sit on government shelves and gather dust, this a reminder of a few facts
  • Concern over seat belt use in Europe
    November 1, 2012
    Concern has been expressed over recidivist motorists in Europe who continue to flout seatbelt laws, despite strong evidence that they risk serious injury or death. According to recent police safety data, results from a recent pan-European seatbelt control operation show that nearly 100,000 drivers and passengers were detected not wearing seatbelts. A total of 25 countries took part in the operation, which was co-ordinated by the European Traffic Police Network (TISPOL). Of the final total of 97,489 detectio