7 taken to hospital in massive crash at UCI Gran Fondo Belgium

According to VRT, the UCI Gran Fondo Belgium was brought to an abrupt and tragic halt on Sunday following a massive crash that left 47 participants involved and seven requiring hospitalisation. The competition was ultimately cancelled.

Held near the dam of l'Eau d'Heure, the Gran Fondo is an event that welcomes both professionals and amateurs, with participants riding individually against the clock rather than racing directly against one another. This year’s edition saw around 2,500 cyclists take to the course.

Eyewitness accounts described scenes of devastation, "It's a drama. More than twenty people have to be picked up by ambulance. Some are still waiting for an ambulance. All around me is breaking carbon and bones. Blood everywhere, really bad," participant Rick Groeneweg told CycloWorld.

Another rider gave insight into how the crash unfolded, “A few riders started to rub against each other at the front right of the peloton. Someone lost their balance and fell. To avoid the fall, everyone moved to the left and the big crash occurred.”

A third witness added more about the nasty incident, "It was pure chaos. Some bikes were broken, people were lying on the side of the road and there were about five ambulances present."