A highly-rated Belgian cyclist has been forced to pull out of the UCI cycling World Championships in Montreal after he was struck by a car while training on Sunday.
Seff Van Kerckhove, 18, was taken to hospital after he was hit during a training ride, Gwendoline Gerres, a spokeswoman for Belgian Cycling said in an email.
“The collision had a severe impact on his upper body,” she said, adding that more examinations were scheduled for Monday.
Van Kerckhove had been scheduled to participate in the Men’s Junior Individual Time Trial and the Road Race at the cycling World Championships taking place in Montreal this week, but was forced to pull out of both events due to his injuries.
Van Kerckhove placed third in the junior time trial and twelfth in the road race at last year’s world championships in Kigali, Rwanda, and was widely seen as strong contender in both races this year in Montreal.
“Seff will now take time for his recovery. The rehab has already started,” Gerres said. “We wish him a speedy recovery.”
The Belgian cycling team wouldn’t say exactly where crash took place, only that it was outside of Montreal’s city centre.
Van Kerckhove will not be replaced in either race.
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