Cycling, Benoot and the accident against a car in Livigno: “Except for a few millimeters”

Another accident, still a professional except for a few millimeters. The words of the Flemish Tiesj Benoot open a picture of what could have happened. Let’s resume the film: Benoot, loyal to the Vingegaard yellow jersey and Van Aert at Jumbo-Visma, is in Livigno to train for the season finale. He is alone, there are no other teammates. For the Belgian coach Vanthourenhout, he is a key player for the World Cup in Australia, goal number 1 for Van Aert: after all, Benoot, who won the Strade Bianche 2018, finished 2nd at the Paris-Nice 2020, 3rd all ‘Amstel Gold Race and at the Clasica San Sebastian 2022, he is a tough guy, one who never gives up, a companion that all captains would like. And instead… .

The words On Monday the impact against a car was downhill at 67 per hour. After two days in the hospital, Benoot returns to Belgium and tells the episode to the Belgian newspaper Het Laastste Nieuws: “I was going down a straight, I wasn’t even going too fast, my computer was showing 67 km per hour. Suddenly a car crossed the street to enter a parking lot. I barely managed to brake, but I hit it right. When I opened my eyes, the car door was dented, the mirror was smashed, the windows were broken. I recovered after fifteen minutes. They took me to the hospital by helicopter, they immediately gave me a dose of morphine, they did an ultrasound of my internal organs to check for bleeding. In the end I reported the fracture of a cervical vertebra (the second, ed), but there is no permanent damage. I was diagnosed with a concussion and the doctors removed the glass from my hip and elbow and stitched up those wounds. I feel that my ribs are bruised or broken too, I recognize that pain when I laugh or cough ”.

Benoot’s season is over. Almost three months with the brace. Again the Belgian: “Fortunately, I was able to move my hands and feet on the spot and it was a relief. A few millimeters and it could have been a different story. I’m making a point of it, in reality I am very grateful and happy to be able to tell it again ”. Already.