Tour de Suisse - Juan Mauricio Soler in coma after crash

[Fresh]

Hopefully this season doesn't claim another life...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/soler-a ... fter-crash

Updated: Colombian suffers severe head trauma and multiple fractures

Movistar's Juan Mauricio Soler has crashed out of the Tour de Suisse on the 157.7km sixth stage from Tobel-Tägerschen to Triesenberg/Malbun. The Colombian collided with a spectator and was airlifted from the course with a suspected fractured skull and has been placed in a medically induced coma, according to Reuters. The spectator suffered minor injuries.

According to information provided by his Movistar team, Soler's initial medical tests confirmed a severe head trauma with a cerebral edema and multiple fractures and bruising. He is being treated in the intensive care unit of the hospital, where doctors will carry out further tests to check the progress of his injuries.

Doctors placed him in a medically induced coma in order to perform surgery on his fractured skull. "He has serious injuries, but we can not say now if his life is in danger," said Dr. Robert Kretsch.

Soler was lying in second overall on the general classification at the time of his accident, 54 seconds behind race leader Damiano Cunego.

The crash came four days following Soler's stage victory on Crans-Montana, which he dedicated to his fallen teammate Xavier Tondo, who died in a freak accident at his home in Spain.

Soler's collision came 33km into the stage, and race organisers neutralised the race while doctors attended to him. The race was re-started at kilometre 46.

Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world -

[AUbicycles]

Oh no, always sad to hear when tragedy hits sport.

[JV911]

Colombian Juan Mauricio Soler is out of danger after suffering severe head injuries in a crash in the Tour of Switzerland last week.

"His condition is no longer life-threatening. He has begun to make light movements and tests seem to rule out spinal injury," team doctor Alfredo Zuniga said.

"Now we have to see the evolution of possible neurological damage, a process in which we must be patient.

"Mauricio is still in the intensive care unit and he will stay there for several days."

[sogood]

Hope he'll be able to pull through without any deficit. A tad more energy to the head at the time of impact would have sent him the other way.

[jet-ski]

I bet that spectator feels awful

[sogood]

I bet that spectator feels awful

Still not read any report on the exact circumstance. Was it another one of those spectator intrusion induced accident?

[AUbicycles]

"All of a sudden there was a footpath with a five-centimetre edge dropping to the road level," Australian rider Baden Cooke told the Associated Press. "Soler had no time to brake at all."

Soler fell on to a spectator and then smashed into a fence, suffering multiple fractures as well as bleeding on the brain.
"The fence did not move at all so Soler took the full impact," added Cooke.

link

Just noting that it was not caused by the spectator.

[MichaelB]

From Cyclingnews Forum

Some more news: Soler has started to eat a few solids and has started talking a little bit: http://espndeportes.espn.go.com/blog...ndoval&cc=7586

The article is quite long and in Spanish. Apparently Soler and his familiy are getting a lot of support, particularly from other Movistar riders and Uran but also from guys like Cancellara and Cunego, which is nice to hear. It seems the move to Spain has helped him a lot.

Just found another link, with a bit more info. Apparently he watched a bit of the Tour stage yesterday and recognised Uran on the podium. He has also recognised his wife and brother-in-law, and asked after his son and his mother. I don't want to get carried away, but this seems like great news.

http://www.revistamundociclistico.co...0122&Itemid=74

Links are in spanish.

Seems like the recovery is slow but at least heading in the right direction.

[Mulger bill]

It does sound good. Fingers crossed it gets better.
Thanks for sharing it Michael.

Shaun

[Chuck]

Thanks for the update, sounding alot more positive.

[silkishuge]

really glad to hear he is recovering

Jon

[MichaelB]

Out of Intensive care


More info re Solre - can talk a little more now and recognise people. Has many of the hallmarks of the recovery profile that Richard Hammond had with his injury.

Hopefulluy he keeps improving and is able to keep being a good father and husband