As of: April 4, 2024, 6:08 p.m
By: Christoph Wutz
Comments
Press
Split
This year Lennard Kämna wanted to fight for overall victory at the Giro d'Italia. But this dream was shattered after a serious accident.
Tenerife – Lennard Kämna is currently probably the best German racing cyclist. In recent years he has impressed several times on major tours. The 27-year-old has already won a stage in the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana. But now he is in hospital after a serious training accident. However, Kämna's life is apparently not in danger.
Worries about German cycling star: Kämna in intensive care after training accident
The 2017 team time trial world champion collided with a car during a training trip on the Spanish island of Tenerife, his Bora-hansgrohe team said in an official statement. The 27-year-old suffered “numerous injuries”. He was then taken to the intensive care unit of a hospital in Tenerife. The worries about Kämna after the training accident were great.
His condition is now stable, the cycling star is “awake, responsive and can communicate,” Bora-hansgrohe continued. “Fortunately there is no danger to life,” the team’s manager, Ralph Denk, told
Bild
shortly after the accident. Kämna will still remain in the intensive care unit for the next few days. Members of his family and team are with him.
Racing cyclist Lennard Kämna is in intensive care after a serious training accident in Tenerife. © Sirotti / Imago
Kämna was not to blame for the bike accident: the driver got into his lane
In the press release, Denk was delighted that Kämna is on the road to recovery. “The entire team feels for him and we all wish him a speedy recovery. From the team side, we will continue to do everything necessary to ensure that he fully recovers from this accident,” said Denk. He told
radsport-news.com
that
Kämna's helmet was “not broken”.
The team also revealed initial details about how the accident happened. Accordingly, “the driver of an oncoming vehicle turned left, drove into Lennard Kämna's lane and collided with him.” The German was apparently not to blame for the fatal collision. Bora-hansgrohe did not provide any information about the driver's health. Nobody from the training group that Kämna was with was injured.
My news
Videos show losses: Russia's tank fleet is lost in the rain of cluster bombs
Debate about citizens' money for Ukraine refugees: “The federal government is making our lives difficult” read
1 hour ago
Many pensioners are entitled to more pension points - but these are only available upon application
Tumor discovered too late: 19-year-old falls into a coma after chemo
Russia's economy worried: dependence on China will be Putin's downfall
“He was reckless”: driver dispute escalated – passenger grabs information about the background to the Flixbus accident
German cycling star Kämna wanted to reach for overall victory at the Giro d'Italia
Kämna trained in the Canary Islands for this year's Giro d'Italia, which starts on May 4th. After finishing 19th and ninth overall in the last two editions of the tour, the German had great ambitions for the 2024 edition and wanted to attack at the front this time.
“We want to try that again because he has the support of the team,” Bora Hansgrohe manager Denk told the
Sport Information Service
(
SID
) in February. Kämna should probably be the team's second captain at the Giro alongside Colombian Daniel Felipe Martinez. “Grazie Italy – see you soon,” the 27-year-old announced full of anticipation on his Instagram channel after taking part in the Tirreno-Adriatico Italian tour at the beginning of March.
Lennard Kämna, here at the 2023 edition, wanted to fight for overall victory again at this year's Giro d'Italia. After a serious training accident, he now has to take a break for the time being. © Belga / Imago
Will Kämna start in the Tour de France? “There is no question for us at the moment”
But Kämna may now have to bury his Giro ambitions. However, a start at the Tour de France, where he would be one of the helpers of the Slovenian top rider and overall Giro winner Primoz Roglic, could be realistic. What is probably the biggest cycling race in the world starts on June 29th.
However, this is purely speculative, emphasized Denk. Only the recovery of the 2014 junior world champion in the individual time trial is currently relevant for the team. “We don’t have any other questions at the moment,” said the manager.
Kämna's accident is not the only one of its kind in the recent past. Just last year, a cycling talent died after a collision with a car.
(wuc)