"If the helmet is broken, the rider has to stop. Period. There is no leeway" - Swiss Cycling director regrets Stefan Küng's continuation after crash at European Championships

Earlier this year at the European Championships, there was a scary and as it turns out, very contentious incident when Swiss hopeful Stefan Küng crashed hard in the individual time-trial.

Despite being covered in his own blood and his helmet having completely snapped open, Küng was allowed to remount his bike and continue on to the finish line, eventually finishing in 11th place as Joshua Tarling took the title. The fact he was allowed to carry on after such a brutal crash though, was incredibly controversial as the managing director of Swiss Cycling, Thomas Peter admits to Blick. 

"We have to learn from this. This must not happen to us in the future," he evaluates with regret. "Looking back, the trainers who were in the car behind Stefan Küng should have taken him out of the race. If the helmet is broken, the rider has to stop. Period. There is no leeway. Everyone in the association has been made aware of this."

Küng, who suffered a concussion and fractures to his cheek and hands, also commented on the incident. "If so, then the race stewards should have done it." For himself and the team, "it was about getting back on the bike as quickly as possible. You just function and don't think about what could happen," said the 29-year-old.