This is exactly what Simon Tuomey didn't want on the week of the national championships; a double collar bone fracture after crashing into fencing wire that was across the road near his home in Cork.
By Brian Canty
One of the country’s most promising young riders has had his season turned upside down on the eve of the National Road Championships after crashing hard while out training near his home in west Cork.
Former Irish junior international Simon Tuomey (Dunboyne Cycling Club) was out on his time-trial bike in advance of tonight’s TT event at the championships when he came into contact with some fencing wire that was put across the road by a farmer moving cattle.
The 19 year-old saw the wire too late and had no chance to brake.
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The impact with the road was so significant that he broke his collar bone in two places and faces another period of inactivity.
It was a huge blow for Tuomey who missed most of the winter and early season with knee injuries but even when he returned fit and healthy he didn’t take long to get back into shape.
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He won the Coachford Classic in his comeback race last month and had been looking forward to the latter half of the season.
And as his accident came one hour after he finished his final Leaving Cert exam it was a particularly bitter pill to swallow and probably ends his season.
“I was out for a spin on my time-trial bike, maybe a kilometre from home," he explained of what sounds like a horrible incident.
“I was resting on the extensions and at the last second I saw the cattle wires but couldn't stop. I was doing maybe 50k an hour at the time.
“Straight away when I tried to get up I knew something was wrong. I couldn’t get up and I felt it in the collarbone.
“The farmer dropped me home and the ambulance arrived. They saw straight away I’d broken it.
"So I went to Cork University Hospital and after a three-hour wait an X-ray showed it was snapped it in two places towards the shoulder and neck.
“It's bad timing for sure but with the help of my coach (Will Curtin) I came back from knee injuries and I’ll come back from this too.
“At least I was finished the Leaving Cert. Hopefully I’ll be back cycling in a week or two and have a good go at the Suir Valley.”
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