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Cape Town - Leading South African cyclist Lynette Burger is in a "pretty critical but stable" condition after being knocked off her bike while on an early morning training ride in Gauteng.
Burger's husband David Pieterse confirmed the former South African national road champion and Cape Town Cycle Tour winner was hit by a minibus taxi which had failed to stop at a red traffic light at the corner of Kingfisher Avenue and Rondebult Road in Boksburg.
“She suffered two punctured lungs, slight bleeding on the brain, a broken collarbone and all her ribs are broken on her left side,” Pieterse told the In the Bunch website.
“Other than that, her legs and arms are still good.”
Burger, 37, went out “as usual” at 04:20 to meet a bunch of cyclists in Boksburg before a training ride, which was when the accident occurred.
Pieterse said there were three eye-witnesses who saw her get hit by the taxi.
Burger won the Race for Victory in Johannesburg just a couple of weeks ago as well as the Buffelspoort Road Challenge last month.
She started her season by winning the Fast One Cycle Race in January.
She was also crowned the South African national road champion in 2009 and won the Cape Town Cycle Tour in 2015.
Burger's accident draws frightening parallels to the tragedy that claimed the life of star South African mountainbiker Burry Stander in January 2013 after he too was hit by a taxi while on a training ride on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast.
Prior to that, the South African cycling community had been rocked by the 2011 death of Carla Swart who had represented her county at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Swart was killed after being hit by a truck while training in the Free State at age 23.
Makes me so mad to hear the news about @LynetteBurger being hit my a minibus taxi! Things simply cannot continue like this in South Africa! I pray for a complete and speedy recovery!! #ArriveAlive #Roadsafety
— Reinardt JvRensburg (@ReinvanRensburg) September 27, 2018
???????? our prayers are with
— Chris Willemse Cycle (@CWCOnline) September 26, 2018
"Lynette Burger ex Lady Pro and ex CT Cycle Tour winner who was hit by a taxi this am. Critical in Hospital!
So sorry to hear about @LynetteBurger from team @DemaconLadies who was hit by a taxi while out riding this morning. We wish you a speedy recovery! pic.twitter.com/AqGfTC6DOE
— Team Genasys Cycling (@Team_Genasys) September 26, 2018
Dear @LynetteBurger we are so sad to hear about you accident. We really hope that you will heal soon. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
— Cycle Nation powered by Sandton City (@Cycle_Nation) September 26, 2018
