Tour de France cyclist, 27, ‘fighting for his life after slumping at the wheel beside his pregnant wife and crashing into five cars’ in Belgium
Tour de France cyclist Nathan van Hooydonck is reportedly fighting for his life after a six-vehicle crash, with his pregnant wife in the passenger seat next to him.
The Jumbo Visma cyclist was riding in Kalmthout, Belgium, when he started feeling unwell and lost control of the car and accelerated into traffic.
27-year-old Van Hooydonck reportedly had to be resuscitated at the scene and was taken to hospital in critical condition. The Latest News.
His wife, who is eight months pregnant, was also taken to hospital for a check-up but she was not seriously injured.
A statement from Jumbo Visma reads: ‘We can confirm that our rider Nathan van Hooydonck became unwell earlier today while driving his car, as a result of which he was involved in a traffic accident.
‘He was then transported to hospital where he is receiving good medical care. We cannot confirm the rumors that his condition is critical. He is undergoing further medical examinations. Thank you all for your messages to Nathan and the team.”
Nathan van Hooydonck and his wife were involved in a six-car accident that left the Tour de France cyclist fighting for his life
Jumbo-Visma sporting director Grischa Niermann said: ‘We don’t know more than everything that is reported in the media. Apparently he had an accident and had to go to the hospital. He’s in there now, I think, a medically induced coma.
‘It is very, very hard news for us, for everyone, especially for the riders. And of course our thoughts are with him, and also with his girlfriend, and we all hope and wish the best.
‘Right now our thoughts are elsewhere (than the Vuelta a España), we still have the leader’s jersey in La Vuelta and we will keep fighting. I hope the boys can change their mentality when they are on the bike, but it is a very difficult morning for us.”
Van Hooydonck, who turned professional at BMC in 2017, has been working at the Dutch Jumbo-Visma since 2021.
He was part of the team supporting winner Jonas Vingegaard at this year’s Tour de France and rode in the Tour of Britain last week and was due to represent Belgium at the upcoming European Road Championships.