Olympic cyclist Annemiek van Vleuten fractures spine during crash

(Image credit: Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

published 8 August 2016

A Dutch Olympic cyclist is recovering after a bad crash Sunday that left her with three small fractures on her vertebrae.

Annemiek van Vleuten was leading in the end stages of a road race when she skidded near the bottom of a descent and crashed head-first into the road and curb, Reuters reports. After she was taken to the hospital, the Dutch Cycling Federation released a statement saying, "Annemiek has severe concussion and three small fracture particles in her lumbar spine. She will remain in hospital for 24 hours at [intensive care]. She is conscious and talking." You can watch her terrifying crash below. Catherine Garcia

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.