Junior TT favourite Seff Van Kerckhove out of World Championships after being hit by a driver

“He was transferred to the hospital for further examination,” read a statement from the Belgian Cycling team according to Sporza.

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“The collision had a strong impact on his upper body. Tomorrow there will be more investigations. The coming period is all about recovery. Rehabilitation has already started.”

Van Kerckhove was due to be the only podium finisher from last year’s World Championships time trial to take the start of this year’s race. He was third in Kigali, just eight seconds behind eventual winner, Dutchman Michiel Mouris.

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Days after winning that bronze medal he took 12th place in the road race in Kigali, and would have started both events this week as a serious contender for the medals.

Van Kerckhove has been racing with the Decathlon CMA CGM junior squad this year, and has taken 10 victories from just 31 race days, despite not beginning his season until April. Last December, he was hit by another driver while training, that collision causing fractures to four vertebrae.

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The Belgian team will not be replacing Van Kerckhove for Tuesday’s time trial, leaving Vic De Smet as Belgium’s only representative in the event.