Catastrophic scene unfolds: barely a few meters away, a terrible collision took place during the bicycle race
In the small town of Hausen ob Verena, situated near Bad Dürrheim, Germany, a tragic incident occurred during the annual Riderman road cycling race. The incident, which took place in the amateur competition, resulted in a series of pile-ups and left several cyclists injured.
The accident occurred when Georg Huber, a participant in the race, was descending a hill on his racing bike at a speed of 61 km/h. Approximately 50 meters ahead of Huber, a crash occurred, causing a pile-up of cyclists and scattering debris across the road.
The aftermath of the accident was chaotic, with about three hours passing before three doctors, who had been helping with the injured, arrived in Hausen ob Verena. In total, 38 people were seriously injured, and another 60 to 70 sustained minor injuries.
The Konstanz public prosecutor's office is currently investigating the cause of the accident, with Andreas Mathy, the prosecutor and spokesperson of the Konstanz public prosecutor's office, leading the investigation. The office is also considering whether a charge of bodily harm can be brought.
The incident did not go unnoticed by the municipalities along the route, dampening the event for them. In fact, the race had to be canceled due to the road being blocked by emergency vehicles. Around 50 emergency vehicles and four helicopters were deployed on Sunday to manage the situation.
Despite the unfortunate turn of events, event organizer Kai Sauser described himself as "shocked" as this was the first such incident at the Rideman. The race, which spans three days and typically attracts several hundred cyclists, with 1,500 registered for 2025, is organized by the Sauser brothers, Kai and Rik. The race starts with an individual time trial on Friday, followed by road races on Saturday and Sunday over 110 and 90 kilometers, respectively.
It is worth noting that an earlier Bundesliga women's race passed through the course without incident. In Hausen, they asked if there was still coffee - there was. All cyclists from the Bundesliga women's race passed through Hausen ob Verena as planned.
A YouTube video shows the accident scenes, providing a grim snapshot of the chaos that unfolded. The investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
In the aftermath of the accident, event organizer Harald Klaiber organized a small side event in Hausen ob Verena for the riders, including provisions for the riders and a performance by the local band. This gesture aimed to bring some semblance of normalcy to the situation and provide a morale boost to the riders and the town's residents.
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