There have been calls for higher barriers at cycling velodromes after a horror crash at the Commonwealth Games saw three riders hospitalised and several spectators receive medical attention on Sunday
England's Matt Walls launched over the protective crowd barrier and struck fans during the high-speed incident in the men's scratch race, with the cyclist being treated for 40 minutes behind a screen at Lee Valley VeloPark before being taken to hospital.
Incredibly, Wells was released from hospital with only stitches in his forehead and bruises, while two other riders - Canada’s Derek Gee and Isle of Man's Matt Bostock - were also taken to hospital but escaped without serious injury.
Two spectators also received medical attention after being hit by the out-of-control Wells, with one man removed from the scene in a wheelchair while covered in blood.
Nuts #velodrome #crash #cycling #CommonwealthGames pic.twitter.com/KkPxZzSjhC
— Freddie King (@Freddie12989163) July 31, 2022
The crash started when Australia's defending champion Matt Glaetzer was accidentally clipped by England's Joe Truman, with the duo hitting the ground, before other cyclists tried to avoid the incident, with Wells then forced toward the barriers.
Glaetzer managed to avoid any significant injury and was able to compete in subsequent events when the cycling resumed later in the day.
The cycling session at the Commonwealth Games was abandoned after the incident, with British cyclist Laura Kenny calling for higher barriers to be erected at the velodromes to protect spectators.
“I think the crashes are getting worse and it’s because the speeds are getting higher, the positions are getting more extreme,” Kenny said, as quoted by The Guardian.
“Some of the pursuit positions people are getting in, you see people crashing into the back of people.
“At some point the UCI are going to have to put a cap on these positions. Maybe there should be screens because Matt should not have been able to go over the top and into the crowd – that’s pretty damn dangerous.
“It’s the third time now I’ve been in a velodrome and witnessed someone go over the top. Matt was laughing and making jokes with the paramedics which is brilliant to hear but if he’d [not gone over] he would have done less damage and certainly done less damage to the little girl."
