Stefan Küng has revealed he barely remembers his horrific crash from the European Championships, the place he rode into the boundaries and was allowed to remount his bike regardless of a bloodied face and smashed helmet.
The crash precipitated large controversy on the time with many individuals criticizing Swiss Cycling and organisers for permitting the time trial specialist to trip to the end in what was a complicated sequence of occasions.
Küng himself doesn’t cross blame, suggesting it was a directional drawback, because the white markings on the highway led him to the barrier, which wasn’t as large because the highway.
His excessive velocity of the time trial was additionally a issue.
“I assume it was a guiding drawback. During a time trial I am basically blind, I can solely see a few metres forward as a result of place I have to carry and I should belief the indications that come through radio from the group automotive,” Küng advised SRF, revealing complexities if racing at excessive speeds in an excessive aerodynamic place.
“We’ve checked out it once more, however it all occurred in a short time. During a time trial I cowl 50/60 metres of highway in a few seconds, so if I make a mistake instantly I’m on the bottom with out realising it.”
TV footage captured Küng’s horrific accidents however the 29-12 months-outdated Swiss rider was shortly again on his bike and finally crossed the road in eleventh, his face lined in blood.
Küng wasn’t solely visibly damage, but in addition suffered a concussion, a fracture of the zygomatic bone (cheekbone) and a number of hand fractures which ended his 2023 season completely with surgical procedure required.
It additionally seems that in all of the ensuing chaos and go to to the hospital, he additionally misplaced his marriage ceremony ring and continues to be unable to search out it.
“The marriage ceremony ring is gone. In the end images, I’m nonetheless sporting it on my finger. In St. Gallen, when the forged was eliminated, it was not there,” Küng revealed.
“I requested the assorted docs who handled me, however to no avail. I definitely do not bear in mind in the event that they reduce it within the first few hours within the hospital, perhaps as a result of my fingers have been swelling.
“I myself lack reminiscence throughout this section.”
The Swiss Cycling Federation apologised for the incident and stated on the time that he ought to by no means have completed that race, however that as a result of velocity of every part and Küng shortly remounting a new bike, they couldn’t assess the state of affairs correctly in time.
“An athlete reflexively will get again on their bike after they crash,” stated aggressive sports activities supervisor Patrick Muller.
“In addition, you may solely see the athlete from behind within the help car and you can’t estimate how critical the accidents are.”
Küng has since returned to common coaching and was lately a part of additional revelations for his residence World Championships subsequent 12 months in Zurich.
That will likely be considered one of his large objectives for the approaching season, alongside a Classics win and the Olympics time trial and highway race in Paris.