Paris - Quick-Step's Czech rider, Petr Vakoc, is out of surgery after being knocked over by a truck while on a training ride in South Africa last Thursday.
Vakoc sustained multiple injuries, including breaking several vertebrae, when he was hit by a truck while riding with team-mates Bob Jungels and Laurens De Plus.
The trio were on an altitude training camp in Mpumalanga that was subsequently curtailed by the incident, with De Plus suffering pulmonary and kidney contusions.
Jungels fortunately escaped the crash.
Jungels rushed to their aid and comforted his team-mates until medical care arrived.
"I did not see the truck coming from behind, but it must have hit them with the left front mirror or even the front left part.
"I ran to them and could see they were injured, so I did not dare to move them.
"A lady who was on the side of the road came and helped us, calling the ambulance, while our trainer Koen Pelgrim and I talked with them. It was really tough," Jungels said in a team statement.
An update from Quick-Step stated that despite the worries that come with spinal injuries, the immediate medical treatment went as well as possible.
"Petr Vakoc underwent surgery at the Mediclinic Nelspruit to stabilise the broken vertebrae he sustained during his Thursday training ride in South Africa, when he was clipped by a truck. Stable and conscious after the accident in which also team-mate Laurens De Plus was involved, the 25-year-old Czech went into surgery on Friday afternoon and spent the entire night under observation, before being awakened by the doctors on Saturday," the statement confirmed.
"The post-surgery tests conducted this morning (Saturday) showed Petr responding to all stimuli, moving and talking with the doctors, who deemed the intervention a success. Now, the Quick-Step Floors rider will spend 10 more days in the hospital before traveling back to Europe."
It unclear at this stage how long it will take for Vakoc to make a full recovery and return to racing.
We have an update on @PetrVakoc, who's out of surgery after being injured during training: https://t.co/X1FEEZ5DlE
— Quick-Step Cycling (@quickstepteam) January 27, 2018
We want to thank everyone - fans, teams, riders - for your support and words of encouragement! It meant a lot for us in these trying times.
Photo: ©Sigfrid Eggers pic.twitter.com/XM1IfcFhZ1
This is a cyclist's worst nightmare. Thoughts to @PetrVakoc and @LaurensDePlus who were knocked over in South Africa. Hopefully they recover soon and will be back on the road soon. Drivers/cyclists everywhere please take care on our roads. @_ArriveAlive
— Daryl Impey (@darylimpey) January 26, 2018
Good news! My Hearthrate is getting to normal. Started a small alarm tonight as the hospital monitors are not set up for people with resting HR bellow 40
— Petr Vakoc (@PetrVakoc) January 28, 2018
Had a really good day given those circumstances. Almost no pain, recovery excercises with fyzio, time spend with family and team and plenty of sleep. And some good food aswell????
— Petr Vakoc (@PetrVakoc) January 28, 2018