Ironman triathlon tragedy: Support motorcycle accident leaves two cyclists injured, one dead

On Sunday, during the Ironman European championships triathlon event in Hamburg Germany, a serious accident occurred, leaving two people injured and one dead.

A support motorcycle, with a driver and cameraman, collided with one of the athletes on a bicycle. The driver of the motorcycle, a 70-year-old man, died on the scene. The 50-year-old cameraman and 26-year-old athlete survived and were both taken to the hospital, the athlete having suffered serious injuries.

The accident occurred in the second leg of the race on bicycles and was captured on live television. The race continued, but the live broadcast did not, out of respect for those involved in the accident and their loved ones. The police cordoned off the part of the road where the accident occurred and eventually set up a diversion. However, only the nine competitors who were in the lead were able to continue the race without complications, as several others had to stop and walk their bikes while emergency services attended to the victims. The German Red Cross team offered counseling to witnesses of the accident.

What caused the collision at the Ironman European championships triathlon?

Police spokesman Curt Wenzel said that the cause of the collision is still unknown, but noted that though the area of the collision was narrow, it should not have been particularly dangerous compared to other places along the route. Some other athletes, however, criticized the quantity of motorcycles as well as the narrow roads.

“It was incredibly narrow, a complete farce. I was right next to it and saw the bike shatter into what felt like a thousand pieces,” said fourth place finisher Jan Frodeno. “I know that such things must always be covered by the media, but athletes’ safety should come first.”