As the 2024 UCI Track Champions League wrapped up in London on Saturday, the final round was interrupted by a brutal crash between British rider Katy Marchant and Germany’s Alessa-Catriona Propster.
The incident happened during the opening round of the women’s keirin, when Propster, riding inside Marchant, suddenly veered up the track, taking the Brit with her. The pair collided with the barrier and ended up crashing into the crowd. A heavy silence hung over the Lee Valley Regional Park Velodrome as the remaining riders finished their race, and officials quickly called off the rest of the racing.
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Marchant was given first aid for a broken forearm, and the cameras were switched off. Reports indicated that Propster and four spectators were treated but didn’t suffer serious injuries. After about half an hour, with Marchant being taken to the hospital, the event was officially cancelled.
Additional barriers installed after crash with Derek Gee
Earlier in the summer, the track had actually installed a higher barrier made of plexiglas, to avoid a similar incident that happened to Derek Gee and Matt Bostock at the 2022 Commonwealth Games during the scratch race. Not only were they taken to hospital, but a young girl who was watching the race was also injured.
After the race, British track rider Laura Kenny said that cycling needs to do more to prevent dangerous incidents. The crash at the scratch race saw Gee and Bostock go over the barrier and into the crowd.
Higher speeds, crashes getting worse
“I think the crashes are getting worse and it’s because the speeds are getting higher, the positions are getting more extreme,” Kenny said. “At some point the UCI is going to have to put a cap on these positions. Maybe there should be screens because Matt should not have been able to go over the top and into the crowd, that’s pretty damn dangerous. It’s the third time now I’ve been in a velodrome and witnessed someone fall over the barrier. Matt was laughing and making jokes with the paramedics which is brilliant to hear but if he’d not gone over he would have done less damage and certainly done less damage to the little girl.”
The crash happened when several riders collided, and other riders tried to avoid them, but at high speed they went up the banking and into the crowd.
Rider safety paramount
Still, the group that runs the velodrome says that more will…
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