Stefan Küng "lucky to be able to walk away from this crash" - Swiss rider assures fans with positive sprit

Stefan Küng was involved in what was perhaps - for the wrong reasons - the most memorable moment of the European Championships. The Swiss rider did not see and hit a barrier at high speed at the time-trial, with subsequent horrific injuries, but he has not shared a public message, assuring fans of his recovery.

"Back Home in Switzerland back with my loved ones. Thanks for all your messages and for your support," Küng said in an Instagram post. "The last days after my crash I spent in the hospital. First in Emmen then I was transported back home to Switzerland... Further checks were conducted at the Kantonsspital St.Gallen. I was able to leave the hospital today. On Monday I will have surgery on my hand to repair the fractures in my hand and a small intervention on my cheekbone will be done as well."

Two hand fractures, a gash on the cheekbone and a concussion were the result of a high-speed crash. However the shocking part was not that event in itself, but instead how the team staff and/or medical staff gave him a replacement bike and put him back in the race despite having a shattered helmet and a very large amount of blood all over his equipment. It were terrible scenes, that led to widespread criticism. The injuries were only revealed after the race, with Küng effectively ending his effort under a very bad health status.

A few days have in the meantime passed however and the Swiss rider has been able to resume a relatively normal life. His season ended with the time-trial as he's had to forgo of the remainder of the Europeans, but he is making progress in his recovery. "A big thanks to the medical staff. Lucky to be able to walk away from this crash and we will asses[s] the whole situation with the parties involved once I'm fully recovered," he concluded.