Amy Pieters is now able to walk without help, ten months on from the serious training crash which left her in a lengthy coma.
In an update published on her website on Tuesday morning, it was revealed that she is now able to take steps unaided, and has also cycled on a side-by-side tandem.
However, the statement also revealed that there have been struggles, such as an epileptic seizure, and that while she can say lone words occasionally, Pieters can still not talk.
The update says: “With a little help, she gets up from her chair and takes her own steps. She walks for short moments when supported. This is what we like to see… We must have patience and hope. We are convinced that Amy will show us some very beautiful things.”
The Dutch rider crashed after a collision during a national track team training ride on December 23 in Calpe, Spain. She lost consciousness following the fall, and was taken via air ambulance to a hospital in Alicante.
She underwent surgery to relieve pressure on her brain, before being placed in an induced coma, which was later extended. Doctors then transferred Pieters to a hospital in the Netherlands in January, where she remained under supervision for months.
During that time, she went through neurological rehabilitation treatment. During her road career she won the Tour of Flanders twice, four stages of the Women’s Tour, and the European road race, among 17 victories.
Earlier this year, a fundraising campaign (opens in new tab) was launched to support Pieters. The program, called “Amy Pieters: Champion of hearts”, was set up “to offer Amy as many opportunities as possible to get the most out of herself”.
People are still encouraged to donate: “Treatments that Amy can undergo, both in the Netherlands and abroad, are not all reimbursed. Modifications and tools are very expensive. Yet, with your help, we want to offer Amy as many opportunities as possible to get the most out of herself.”
A tribute to Pieters on an SD-Worx teammate’s bike
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The latest statement reads: “Amy has taken her first steps! Amy has been in therapy for a while at the Daan Theeuwes Centerin Woerden, the Netherlands. Various exercises and training sessions are given that Amy participates in. Amy has already been able to cycle along on a side-by-side tandem.
“Lately, it’s been a little more difficult to motivate Amy with physical exercises. Talking is not yet possible, which makes it difficult to explain herself. Not being able to…