“I’m seeing double a bit right now,” is how Pieter Serry described one of several consequences of his recent training accident to Het Nieuwsblad, a crash that left the Belgian veteran suffering from a bad concussion and with any chance of a Tour de France start alongside teammate Remco Evenepoel up in smoke.
A longstanding team worker with Soudal-QuickStep, Serry was hit by a car when training on June 3, causing the 35-year-old to lose consciousness.
He only awoke when in hospital, undergoing various checkups, so has no idea how the accident happened only that his bike was broken in two places and his helmet all but destroyed.
Fortunately, he did not suffer any broken bones, but Serry has got a major concussion and cannot train.
Serry recently completed the Giro d’Italia, in which he’s participated 10 times, working as a team captain. However, any hope of backing that up with a start in the Tour de France has now disappeared, according to Het Nieuwsblad.
“Physically it's not too bad,” Serry said. “ I have a bit of double vision and it is not clear when that will improve. As long as I don't see completely clearly, I obviously can't start training.”
Serry said that his case is being handled by doctors at the University Hospital in Gent, as well as Soudal-QuickStep’s own medics.
Part of the longlist to help Remco Evenepoel in the Tour de France this summer, according to Het Nieuwsblad, and a support rider for the World Time Trial Champion in all the Grand Tours he has taken part in to date, the Belgian says he will now have to switch to other goals.
“I hope to be able to start training on the rollers this week and that I can do an altitude training course with the team,” he concluded, “then ride the autumn Classics or the Vuelta a Espana.”
