RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Dutch rider Anna van Vleuten was conscious after an horrific-looking crash as she lost control of her bike while leading in the latter stages of the Olympic women’s cycling road race on Sunday.
Van Vleuten was leading the race with about 10km to go when she skidded on a steep descent and smashed head-first into the road and a stone kerb.
She laid motionless while help arrived but the Dutch Cycling Federation later tweeted that she was “conscious and ok”.
Van Vleuten’s compatriot Anna van der Breggen won the women’s race.
On Saturday Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali broke a collar bone when he crashed on the same descent while leading the men’s race.
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips; Editing by Alison Williams)