Watch moment cyclist thrown over the handlebars after deer runs in front of him on descent

Descending is a risky business.

There is always plenty to keep your senses occupied when you’re plummeting downhill at speeds upwards of 60kph.

But sometimes a nightmare scenario appears in front of you and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.

That is exactly what happened to rider Reed Soehnel.

While descending on the Catalina Highway in Arizona, Soehnel’s front wheel was completely taken out by a deer that had run directly into his path, leaving him no chance to swerve.

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The whole incident was captured on the rear camera of Bryan Reid, who was lucky to avoid the same fate by just a matter of a few metres.

Soehnel suffered a broken bone in his foot after the huge crash, that saw him fly head first over the bars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaLmkS_WRGk

His bike also looked ruined in the impact, with his frame appearing to snap almost in half and almost strike another cyclist riding in the opposite direction.

Footage from the incident was uploaded to YouTube on January 22, with the caption: “The end result is a shattered bicycle, some road rash, and a broken foot.

“You can see my back wheel in the video, we were both very lucky it wasn’t worse.”

The deer runs directly between the two riders, who were descending Mt Lemmon, just outside of Tuscon in the southern US state.

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Soehnel is unable to react as the animal careens into his front wheel, knocking it completely out from under him and sending the rider to the floor.

The animal also falls before jumping up and running back in the direction it came from.

The extent of the deer’s injuries are unknown but fortunately Soehnel escaped more serious wounds.

Wildlife is a common hazard for cyclists.

Last January, a rider was struck by a kangaroo that leaped out in front of her while riding in Australia.

The cyclist, Rebecca, was knocked from her bike and hit the floor hard.