Giant-Alpecin mechanic hit by Etixx-QuickStep car taken to hospital

The mechanic who was hit by an Etixx-QuickStep car during the Tour of Flanders was taking to hospital to receive checks.

Ed Bekhuis, a mechanic for Giant-Alpecin, went to assist one of his riders who crashed during the early stages of the cobbled Classic.

Carrying a wheel, he moves backwards and is hit by a slow-moving Etixx-QuickStep car, which fells him and appears to see his legs become trapped under the front of the car.

Television footage of the incident cuts away, thus not explaining how he managed to remove himself from under the car and given no indication of what injuries and the extent of them he received.

But a Giant-Alpecin staff member confirmed to Cycling Weekly that Bekhuis had gone to hospital for checks, but that “he should be OK”.

The incident comes in the same race were there was several restrictions in place for motorbikes, with CW understanding that only three motos were allowed at the back of the race for the first 100km, in comparison to the usual eight to twelve; all other motor vehicles had to ride ahead of the race.