As crashes go, this trip over the handlebars at speed was pretty spectacular. But it underlines the need to pay attention and call out anything in the road ahead to warn those behind.
The clip below shows a spectacular, and likely very painful, crash involving a rider landing on his head and neck after going over the handlebars.
The rider clearly hit a lot of debris on the road, with a stick jamming in his front wheel bringing his bike to a sudden and crashing halt.
The interesting thing is that none of those with him fell.
The fact the rider behind him just about stayed upright was nothing short of miraculous as he wasn’t even looking straight ahead to see the moment of impact.
Look at the rider's left foot; you can see the piece of debris - it looks like a stick or piece of long thin plastic tubing - getting wrapped up in the front of his bike.
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But his instincts worked well and he just about squeezed around his crashed colleague and then kept the bike up despite flying into the verge.
This crash brings home the importance of focusing on the road ahead, but also calling out when there is anything unexpected in the road.
It doesn't sound from the clip as if the rider whose camera captured the crash called out a warning about the debris.
If they had, the rider behind may well have avoided what was in the road.
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If you’re training in a group and there are riders behind those leading, there should be constant shouts and warnings from the front.
Those at the front should be giving a near running commentary on cars approaching or any holes or rough patches in the road, as well as calling turns well before the group reaches them.
The faller’s bike goes flying up into the air as those behind it speed into its path as it crashes back down to earth.
And if you’re at the back of the group, don’t be afraid to regularly shout out to those ahead of you if traffic is building behind.
It’s best to take any opportunity possible to let vehicles pass, and you should go into single file formation to facilitate that if you have to.
You’re as entitled to be on the road as any vehicle and groups are also entitled to ride two abreast.
But drivers can get impatient and chance risky overtaking moves if they are stuck behind a group of cyclists for a long time.
So it’s best to allow drivers overtake safely as regularly as you can.
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