Shock for cycling champions

“Suddenly a cab drove head-on into us”

National champion Alexander Hajek (right) was hit by a cab on the race course.(Bild: Sebastian Marko / Red Bull Content Pool)

The name of the race is difficult to pronounce, the incidents that led to several WorldTour teams pulling out of the Etoile de Besseges are unpronounceable: on two days, professional cyclists crashed on the race course because of cars. In the middle of it all: Austrian champion Alexander Hajek.

"Suddenly, a cab drove head-on into us," Hajek can still hear the shock, "but it immediately backed off and swerved. But it was already too late." The peloton had to stop spontaneously, traffic jams, crashes - right next to the Lower Austrian, Red Bull Bora teammate Maxim Van Gils went down and had to be taken to hospital. In severe pain, fortunately only with bruises and no fractures.