"I put my hands to my face and saw blood everywhere" – Red Bull prospect reacts to fresh disappointment following second major crash of 2025
Cycling
Frederik Wandahl’s 2025 season has come to another premature end. The 24-year-old Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe rider has endured a year defined by misfortune, suffering two major crashes in just six months — the latest coming at the Tour of Guangxi, where he sustained a broken jaw and several other injuries.
“Not again. I’ve had enough,” Wandahl recalled thinking in the aftermath of his fall on the final stage in China. “I put my hands to my face and could see that there was blood everywhere. I thought it was my head again — but luckily, that wasn’t the case this time,” he told TV2.
The Danish talent, who had already missed much of the season following a severe concussion at the Tour de Hongrie in May, described the emotional toll of enduring such setbacks so close together.
“It’s a really bad way to end the season — and it was already pretty much ruined,” he admitted. “Mentally, it’s been very tough having two big crashes within six months.”
Surgery in Salzburg and long road to recovery
After the Guangxi crash, Wandahl received stitches in China before flying to Salzburg, where he underwent surgery to repair his jaw. “They kept me under observation for two days before flying me home,” he explained. “I’ve also damaged a vertebra, but hopefully that will heal on its own over time.”
Despite the injuries, Wandahl remains grateful for the support of his Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe teammates and staff, who have guided him through both recoveries. “I’ve had a lot of backing and support from the team — ever since the first crash and all the way until now,” he said. “They’ve really helped me a lot. Honestly, I don’t think I could have got through everything without them.”
Looking ahead to 2026
With his season officially over, Wandahl will take the rest of the year to recover before turning his attention to 2026 — when he hopes to return fully fit and ready to rebuild his promising career.
“Right now, it’s just about getting back on my feet again and returning to everyday life step by step,” he said. “Then we can start looking ahead to 2026.”
Still only 24, Wandahl remains one of Denmark’s most highly rated prospects, having finished second at the national championships in 2021 and third in 2024. Before this year’s setbacks, he also achieved top-five overall finishes at Eschborn-Frankfurt and the Tour de Wallonie — results that underlined his all-round potential.
For now, though, his focus is simply on recovery. “It hasn’t been an easy time,” he admitted. “But I’m staying positive. I just want to come back healthy and ready to race again.”
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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