News :
Wood piece pierces Italian track cyclist Lorenzo Gobbo (17) in fall
The Italian track cyclist Lorenzo Gobbo has been pierced by a piece of wood during a fall. In the accident at the European Championships of the U23 and Juniors in Ghent on Friday evening, a piece about 40 centimeters long detached from the lumber, penetrated Gobbos body and injured the lungs and thighs.
The state of the 17-year-old is stable, said Frank Glorieux, director of the Flemish Cycling Federation, on Saturday the newspaper "Het Nieuwsblad". The racer was taken to hospital and emergency surgery.
Presumably, Gobbo unluckily struck a piece of wood out of the runway when he fell with a pedal. There is no danger to life, it was said. Gobbo has to stay in hospital for two to three days for observation.
"Among other things, they will see if there are any infections," Glorieux said. The European Championships with over 400 participants from 23 countries started on Tuesday and end on Sunday.