Bad drrheim: Some 70 participants have been injured at a cycling race in south-western Germany. A spokesman for the police described it as a 'mass crash' at the 'Riderman' event near the town of Bad Drrheim to the east of the Black Forest in the state of Baden-Wrttemberg.
According to Ghana News Agency, up to 20 participants were seriously injured. Up to 25 with minor injuries are being treated on-site and taken to hospital. A further approximately 35 race participants are also believed to have been slightly injured. The police stated that a final number of injured could not initially be provided.
The initial mass crashes occurred between Bad Drrheim and the small village of Biesingen in a left-hand bend, as too many riders arrived simultaneously, triggering uncontrolled falls. 'A large number of the cyclists crashed into each other on the road,' it was stated in a report. This was followed by another jam among the riders, resulting in further falls.
The accidents led to a major deployment of rescue forces, with four rescue helicopters and numerous ambulances at the scene. The police ruled out any external influence on the race events. Following the accidents, all race events were cancelled by the organizer, and the ongoing races were stopped and ended.
The Riderman is one of the best-known amateur cycling races in southern Germany, attracting hundreds of participants every year.
