Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil-DCM) has been hospitalised after being hit by a car while out training in Spain, his team has announced. The Dutch rider was reportedly descending in front of the motor scooter that he had been being paced behind, when a car pulled out without seeing him.
The 29-year-old from Zeeland in the south eastern Netherlands was taken to hospital in Villajoyosa, where he was diagnosed with rib fractures and some other injuries that will be re-examined on Monday.
Hoogerland is one of the most aggressive members of the peloton, prone to long, suicidal breakaways, but is most famous for being the rider flung into a barbed wire fence by a media car during the 2011 Tour de France. The Dutchman was part of a six rider break, when a car belonging to official broadcaster France Televisions swerved slightly as it overtook them, to avoid clipping a tree that stuck out into the other side of the road.
Team Sky’s Juan Antonio Flecha was hit by the car, causing the Spanish rider to crash, but Hoogerland was thrown spectacularly from the road and into the fence. The Vacansoleil-DCM rider’s shorts were torn from him, with the fence’s barbs tearing deep scores into his legs; his injuries required 33 stitches in all, and he still reportedly suffers some discomfort.
Hoogerland was training in Spain in preparation for the Tour Méditerranéen, which begins on February 6th. His participation is now out of the question, and the team will make further announcements about his condition in due course.