Motorcyclist killed after head-on collision with athlete on bicycle at Ironman triathlon event in Hamburg, as one competitor describes the organization of the race as a ‘complete farce’
- The 70-year-old motorcyclist carried a cameraman filming the race
- They collided head-on with a 26-year-old athlete coming from the opposite direction
- The athlete, on a bicycle, was thrown across the road and suffered ‘serious injuries’
A motorcyclist died on Sunday after a collision with an athlete during the European Ironman triathlon in Hamburg.
The 70-year-old was carrying an official racing photographer when there was a head-on collision with a triathlete cycling from the opposite direction.
Television footage of the crash showed the motorcycle appearing to overtake other motorcycles before colliding with the athlete, who was flung into the path of other competitors.
The organizers said the 26-year-old athlete was ‘seriously injured’ and taken to hospital, while the photographer, 50, who sat behind, went into shock and was also taken to hospital.
The identities of those involved have not yet been released.
Television coverage showed the aftermath of the head-on collision at the Ironman triathlon in Hamburg that killed a 70-year-old motorcyclist
The motorcycle collided head-on with an athlete who was riding a bicycle in the opposite direction
Television broadcasts on Germany’s ARD channel were interrupted as a mark of respect after the crash, but the race – which consisted of a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 26.2km run – was later resumed.
With police at the scene of the crash, the athletes were briefly diverted from the planned route.
German competitor Jan Frodeno was critical of the organizers after crossing the finish line.
“It was incredibly narrow, a complete farce. I stood right next to it and saw the bike shatter into a thousand pieces,” said Frodeno.
“I know that such things should always be in the media, but the safety of athletes must come first.”
Frodeno only learned after the race that the crash had been fatal.
Speak against Image, participant Timo Schaffeld said: ‘Unfortunately the bike course was very busy. It was therefore foreseeable that accidents could happen.
“There were a lot of athletes in the second round, with all the age groupers and the pros having to catch up on the second row.
“There were a lot of media bikes.”
One participant described the race organization as a “complete farce” with “incredibly tight” gaps between the bikes for cameramen and photographers, and the athletes
A statement from the local police read: ‘According to initial indications, there was a head-on collision between the accompanying motorcycle and an oncoming cyclist.’
They also confirmed that the motorcyclist died at the scene.
In a statement, the organizers said: “It is with a heavy heart that we have confirmed the death of a motorcyclist at the Ironman European Championship Hamburg.
At 36 km of the Ironman Hamburg bike course, a licensed motor racing vehicle collided with an age-group athlete riding the racecourse in the opposite oncoming lane.
An event photographer on the motorcycle, who was also injured in the collision, has since been released from the hospital. The contestant will remain in hospital for further treatment.
“We are devastated by this tragic accident.
“On a day that was meant to celebrate the human spirit, we instead mourn the loss of a member of our triathlon community. Our condolences go out to all those affected.
Our priority is always to ensure the safety of our participants and those involved in the event. A police investigation is ongoing and we are working with local authorities to understand the events leading up to the accident.”