The Tour de France is one of the most difficult races in the world to tackle, specially when you are injured. That is what Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe‘s Jordi Meeus has done this year, not withdrawing from the race and even fighting for stage wins even though he suffered very harsh injuries right in the first days of the race.
This happened on stage 3, in a fall that also involved Remco Evenepoel. However, amongst the sprinters and riders that were looking for a strong position into the finale in Dunkirk, Meeus went down and got hit by several riders as he crashed.
“Three bicycles hit me with their front wheels. One fell on top of me. The other two were already braking and stopped against me,” the Belgian shared with Het Laatste Nieuws. “Luckily, after four days, it got better. Except for my knees, which were completely worn out. Every time I stretched my leg, I felt tension on my skin and was in serious pain. The nerve isn’t dead, but it is damaged.”
However, although he crossed the line battered and bruised, he soldiered on and continued the race. “From the moment you get on your bike, you think: ‘Shit, another half hour closer to showering.’ The most painful part of the day. I spend about two hours a day showering and treating the wounds.”
Meeus had a strong leadout backing him up and on stage 17 he even came close to winning a stage, coming second only to Jonathan Milan in what was the race’s final bunch sprint. However he has not yet fully recovered from his injuries even now, over two weeks after the end of the Grand Boucle.
He is no having to take care of them himself but during the race he explains how he and the team had to do to keep his health condition under control. “Then I try as best I can to leave the bandages on in the shower. The doctor takes them off later and cleans the wounds. On a hot day, the adhesives come off because of body sweat. Then I have to shower very carefully. The wounds have to be extremely well wrapped, otherwise it won’t work.”