Unibet youngster wakes up from induced coma after hard Langkawi crash: "It's going to be a long road to recovery, but I'll make it"
Cycling
Unibet Rose Rockets enjoyed a notable success at the 2026 Tour de Langkawi thanks to a 5th place overall from Eivind Broholt Fougner, but the Malaysian race did not bring only positive news. The team's young sprinter Ronan Augé crashed into a lamppost early on in the sixth stage of the race, and was placed in an induced coma to treat his injuries.
Since then, five days have passed and the updated is (relatively) optimistic. The 22-year-old rider has already waken up in the Kuala Lumpur hospital and shared some hope-filled words with newspaper Sud-Ouest.
"I'm getting better and better. I'm gradually regaining my energy, even though I have a broken leg, broken ribs, and broken C6 and C7 vertebrae, along with facial paralysis," Ronan Augé explained. "It's going to be a long road to recovery, but I'm staying hopeful, I'll make it."
Among all the support he had received, Ronan Augé also emphasized the importance of having his father by his side in recent days. "I believe it, I'm with my dad at the hospital, and my spirits are high. And I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone, the entire team, everyone who sent me messages: I received thousands, and it really warmed my heart."
Incredible support
Having left his home at Pau urgently to be with his son, Stéphane Augé (formerly professional with Festina, Crédit Agricole and Cofidis) recounted his journey to Malaysia: "The race organizers picked me up at the airport and provided a car and a translator. They came to see Ronan every day in the hospital."
Father Augé appreciates the responsible stance Unibet Rose Rockets have adopted, as well as the fact they have established a direct communication channel with Ronan's parents.
"The Unibet Rose Rockets team has been incredible, always by our side. Add to that all the messages I've received that I haven't been able to reply to, and I just want to thank everyone."
"They kept us informed in real time, creating a WhatsApp group with the sporting director in the car during the race and the doctor. They explained everything to us and reassured us by explaining that an induced coma is mainly used to rest the body in case of surgery."
Unibet Rose Rockets
Hope for full recovery
As for what had happened, Stéphane Augé briefly summarizes the events that lead to Ronan's unfortunate accident: "It was at the beginning of the stage, on a descent. According to witnesses, Ronan touched the wheel of a rider in front of him, at 70 km/h, before crashing head-on into a lamppost," he said.
Fortunately, it seems like there might be no long-term consequences to the young Frenchman's career. This is very good news, especially as he had just taken his first professional victory at La Route d'Occitanie earlier this season.
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"We were wondering what the long-term effects might be. He now speaks properly, is gradually regaining his memory, and is aware of what happened to him, even if he doesn't remember his fall. He is still very tired and on oxygen."
"He needs to recover before he can fly, especially because of the concussion and the length of the flight (10 + 6 hours). As for a possible return to training, or even competition, that's still a very distant prospect."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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