"Then I saw a lamppost coming towards me" - Nils Eekhoff reveals nasty injuries and dentist trips following AlUla Tour crash

Nils Eekhoff, the 27-year-old Team Picnic PostNL rider, is on the road to recovery following a high-speed crash at the AlUla Tour last month. The Dutchman suffered a violent collision with a lamppost during Stage 3, leaving him with multiple injuries, including a fractured jaw and broken teeth.

In an update on his team's website, Eekhoff reflected on the terrifying moment.

"I only saw it at the last moment, and then I couldn't do anything anymore," he explained. "I was blocked. I steered as far to the right as possible to go around him and ended up with my wheel on the curb. I managed to keep my balance for a moment, but eventually I fell over. Then I saw a lamppost coming towards me."

The impact was severe, and as he lay on the ground, he knew something was wrong.

"I didn't immediately know what the damage was. I had pain in my jaw, blood in my mouth, and I heard these cracking sounds, so I just lay there to play it safe. I didn't dare move my neck."

With his jaw wired shut, eating has become one of the biggest challenges of Eekhoff’s recovery.

"I am not allowed to chew, only eat and drink liquids. In the first week I lived on puree, and now I have switched to rice dishes, but they all have to be pureed. I get all the nutrients I need, but it becomes a bit monotonous without being able to chew."

Despite the painful setback, his focus remains on getting back to racing as soon as possible.

"In the beginning you feel the urge to give up, but then I only thought: I want to come back as soon as possible."

Remarkably, Eekhoff resumed training just four days after the crash, though he has been restricted to indoor sessions.

"Four days after the crash I started again, but indoors on the trainer. I also bruised my hand in the crash, so it is better for my hand to train indoors. That way I also avoid the shocks of the road."

While his recovery timeline remains uncertain, he remains optimistic about returning to full training.

"If everything goes according to plan, it should be doable, but it depends on the recovery of my jaw and the next dentist appointment. Things are going in the right direction. I am in a build-up phase with my training again. Now it is mainly a matter of waiting to see how things develop, but I am doing everything I can to be back as soon as possible."