The opening round of the women’s national league at the Boyne GP in Co Meath yesterday was overshadowed by a mass pile-up, as you can see from our photos below.
It occurred just a few kilometres from the start, on a fast descent as the road was sweeping left.
It took down almost half of the 48-strong peloton. With the roads already greasy and dangerous, some of the riders involved felt there may have been oil on the stretch where the spill occurred.
The ambulance covering the race was immediately on the scene to attend to the casualties.
Seven Springs rider Monika Kotecka from Galway suffered the worst injuries and was taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg.
Anita Egan (Nenagh CC), who was riding her first women’s only open race, came down face first and was badly injured as you can see from Brendan Culleton’s photos below.
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Of the cyclists who stayed down after the crash, the majority sustained cuts, bruises and busted noses.
Have a look at our photos below in which photographer Brendan Culleton really captures the carnage.
There are some close-up photos below where riders are clearly identifiable. We have sought permission from them to use the shots.
Our decision to publish these photos was also informed by many of the riders sharing images of themselves on social media and also on the basis that none of the injuries is life threatening.
Some of the riders took photos of their injuries later in the day and posted them on social media. We have not published them.
We felt the crash was a significant news event and, with permissions from the riders, was something that should be reported on.
The riders go down, mainly on the right, but filling the full carriageway as the domino effect sent the crash across the bunch (Photo: Brendan Culleton)
In a wider angle shot the extent of the crash is easier to see, with a lot of riders hitting the road and others veering into the grass verge to avoid coming off (Photo: Brendan Culleton)
Paramedics and those following the race rushed in to help riders who clearly were not getting up in a hurry (Photo: Brendan Culleton)
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The bikes were tangled together and landed on some of the women (Photo: Brendan Culleton)
A Lakeside rider and Usher IRC's Valerie Considine gather themselves at the side of the road as the bikes are taken in out of the path of traffic and the other events on the same course (Photo: Brendan Culleton)
Anita Egan (Nenagh CC), who was riding her first women’s only open race, takes a moment to digest what has just happened. Falling at speed is uncommon, but when it happens it can daze a rider for a few minutes (Photo: Brendan Culleton)
Valerie Considine really came down heavily; it just goes to show how important helmets are and how much worse it could have been without one (Photo: Brendan Culleton)
Considine suffered cuts and bruises to her face. An experienced campaigner, she will be back on the bike immediately (Photo: Brendan Culleton)
Despite her own painful injuries, Considine went around checking on others who appeared worse off (Photo: Brendan Culleton)
Like Considine, Anita Egan suffered nasty facial injuries but we've been in contact with her and she seems upbeat (Photo: Brendan Culleton)
Cyclists are a close knit bunch and in the smaller women's scene that is particularly so. A mark of yesterday's incident was how many riders nursing their own injuries instinctively busied themselves staying with others and helping them as the paramedics did their fantastic work (Photo: Brendan Culleton)
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