"His helmet saved his life" - Dylan van Baarle hospitalised days before wedding with Pauline Ferrand-Prevot after worrying crash
Cycling
Dylan van Baarle's season is officially over after the Dutch rider suffered a serious crash while training in the Netherlands just days before his wedding. The Soudal Quick-Step rider is set to marry fellow cyclist Pauline Ferrand-Prevot.
Suffering a broken wrist as a result of the incident where he was hit by a motorist. The former Paris Roubaix winner has his helmet to thank for coming away from the incident without any confirmed damage to his skull and vetebrae.
While pinned to ride several races this month before the end of the season, Quick-Step confirmed that van Baarle will undergo surgery as they wished their rider a speedy recovery.
A medical update read: "Following the incident Dylan was taken to hospital where he underwent a CT scan, which has fortunately revealed no damage to his skull and spine.
Dylan van Baarle
Soudal Quick-Step issue medical update
"He did however sustain a fracture to his wrist, which will require surgery and mean an end to his season. Everybody from the Wolfpack family wishes Dylan a speedy recovery."
The former Visma and INEOS rider will undergo surgery on Thursday as Ferrand-Prevot issued an update just days before their planned ceremony. Seeing the humorous side to the situation, the former Tour de France Femmes winner joked about the pair sleeping apart while he recovers in hospital.
She claimed that his helmet saved his life in the incident: "He suffered a major impact to the head; his helmet saved his life. Dylan also broke his arm and will undergo surgery tomorrow. I am very happy that, all things considered, everything turned out well," she wrote on Instagram.
Days before Ferrand-Prevot wedding
She joked: "I will have to sleep alone for a few nights, but that is the tradition before a wedding, isn't it?".
The Dutch rider joined the team at the beginning of this season, and has worked in service of other riders primarily. He was part of the team's Tour de France line-up and contributed to Tim Merlier's sprint victories at the race.
Van Baarle isn't the only rider in his team to be sidelined this week after Andrea Raccagni broke a neck vertebra in a crash at the Coppa Bernocchi on Monday.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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