05/06/2026
CCCare - This was the result of a crash at approximately 54 km/h, impacting the road head-first, followed by my shoulder and then my hip. I knew I was going down it was a question where, when and how! Split millisecond decisions can change your life. The orthopaedic surgeon has said to come out of this with no surgery is a miracle as the injuries sustained are that of someone they usually see that’s been hit by a car!
The injuries: a broken pelvis, broken hip, broken collarbone and broken ribs.
As strange as it sounds, learning how to fall is a skill most people never want to acquire. Having seen it first-hand from my friend Andy Temple and the legendary Peter Sagan, I held onto the handlebars until impact rather than instinctively reaching out with my hands.
Thankfully, there was no oncoming traffic and the road surface was exceptionally smooth, which meant the road rash was minimal.
Had I put my arms out to break the fall, the potential injuries could have included:
• Wrist fractures (particularly distal radius fractures, one of the most common cycling injuries)
• Scaphoid fractures, which can be difficult to diagnose and slow to heal
• Hand and finger fractures or dislocations
• Forearm fractures (radius and ulna)
• Elbow injuries, including radial head fractures and dislocations
• Shoulder dislocations
• Clavicle (collarbone) fractures caused by force travelling up the arm into the shoulder girdle
• Rotator cuff and AC joint injuries
• Brachial plexus nerve injuries caused by violent traction through the shoulder
Experiences like this reinforce just how important it is to invest in quality safety equipment.
In 2018, I suffered a serious spinal injury that resulted in temporary paralysis. At the time, I was wearing a Specialized S-Works Evade II MIPS helmet. In this recent crash, I was wearing a Specialized S-Works Prevail MIPS helmet.
During the CT and MRI scans following my spinal injury, a trauma neurosurgeon said something that has stayed with me ever since:
“Without a head, we have no body to work on.”
It’s a simple message, but an important one: we only get one head.
It’s easy to spend money on performance upgrades such as shoes, sunglasses, saddles, power meters, and other cycling accessories. While those items may improve your riding experience, none of them will protect you in a crash.
A good helmet may not be the most exciting purchase, but it could be the one that saves your life.
Don’t compromise when it comes to protecting your head.
📞 07464 350 410
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💻 www.cheshirecyclecare.co.uk
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05/06/2026