Slovenian junior crashes hard, has heart attack in Italian race

Slovenian national champion Jakob Omrzel was severely affected in a serious accident that occurred during Stage 1 of the Giro della Lungiana race in Italy. According to Slovenian media, his life was in critical condition for a period following the crash.

The incident involved Italian cyclist Jacopo Sasso and one of the organizer’s motorcycles, along with Omrzel. While it was initially thought that the motorcycle was to blame, it later became clear that a security guard, who was signalling a road hazard, was actually at fault.

Deep cut on neck following crash

Omrzel, who is 18 years old, suffered the most severe injuries. Italian media reported that he experienced a heart attack due to a deep cut on his neck. He was quickly transported to a hospital in La Spezia. According to coach Nace Korošec, Omrzel’s condition is now stable. He is conscious, able to communicate, and no longer in immediate danger.

In addition to Omrzel, Sasso suffered multiple abrasions, and the motorcyclist sustained a broken leg and elbow.
Omrzel, a member of the Adria Mobil team, is considered one of the brightest talents in Slovenian cycling. The current two-time consecutive national junior champion won the Paris–Roubaix junior race in April.

One of Slovenian’s biggest prospects

For the 2025 season, Omrzel will race with the Continental team CTF Victorious and is expected to join a WorldTour team in the near future. He has even been called the “next Tadej Pogačar.”

After the race, the organizer of the event took to X to make a statement. “Today, in the first kilometres of the opening stage of the Giro della Lunigiana, there was a crash involving, among others, Jacopo Sasso and Slovenian national champion Jakob Omrzel,” the post read. “Contrary to what has been reported by some parties, the riders’ impact did not occur against an organizational bike, but against a safety officer who was signalling a dangerous situation. After the crash, Omrzel and the security officer were promptly rescued and transported to the hospital in La Spezia, where they are still hospitalized and conscious. Our thoughts are with them, and we wish them a speedy recovery.”

Stage 2 of the Giro della Lungiana was cancelled on Thursday due to bad weather. The race is expected to resume on Friday with a 37.1 km stage from Sarzana to Marina di Massa. The Italian event consists of 5 stages in total.