- Cyclist Luke Plapp required surgery after racing incident in Paris
- The 23-year-old Australian competed in the Olympic time trial on Sunday
- Rising star later shared perspective on injury on Instagram
Australian cyclist Luke Plapp has revealed he has suffered the most horrific injury of the Games, after being involved in a horrific incident during the time trials in Paris that left him needing abdominal surgery.
Plapp, who was competing at the Olympics for the first time, fell off his bike after the 13.1km checkpoint on Sunday and was rushed to hospital.
The 23-year-old showed his Instagram followers the damage before the wound was treated, and it’s not for the faint of heart.
‘Paris 2024…..I’ve been dreaming of this day for 3 years – not as I imagined it, but I will definitely remember you,’ he posted.
‘Still in the hospital but I’m lucky to have my best friends by my side and everyone supporting me…See you in 1,445 days LA [ the next Olympic Games in 2028].
Photos Plapp shared on social media include him sucking on a green whistle (given to patients to relieve pain) and eating a doner kebab.
Australian swimming legend Libby Trickett congratulated Plapp on social media and her teammate Grace Brown, who won gold in the women’s time trial, later visited Plapp and cheered him up.
Before his crash, Plapp was just two seconds behind then-leader Wout van Aert. The Australian had previously set the fourth fastest time of the event.
Australian Olympic cyclist Luke Plapp has revealed the most horrific injury of the Games (pictured) after he was involved in a horrific incident during the time trials in Paris that left him needing abdominal surgery
Plapp, competing in his first Olympics, fell from his bike after the 13.1km checkpoint on Sunday and was rushed to hospital (pictured with girlfriend Georgia Baker)
The 23-year-old was racing in heavy conditions in the rain in Paris before crashing (pictured after his fall)
Plapp also posted a photo of himself enjoying a kebab after his time trial medal dreams were dashed
The tough conditions made the race dangerous for all athletes, especially in the very technical middle section where Plapp dropped off at high speed.
Online footage of the incident shows the cyclist struggling to get up before a support member of the Australian team helped him off the road.
The Olympics decided not to publish the confrontational view on their official website. However, other cycling fans on the internet agreed that it was not appropriate to share it.
“Not nice to see,” wrote one user on X.
Plapp is a three-time national road champion and a two-time national time trial winner.
He was due to compete in the road race on August 3, along with fellow Australian cyclists Michael Matthews and Simon Clarke, but has since been replaced by Ben O’Connor.