10 brutal pro mountain biker injuries caught on film - Dirt

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10 brutal pro mountain biker injuries caught on film

One of the mantras of mountain biking is that it’s not “if” you crash, but “when”, especially if you push as hard as the top pros. Bails are a part of our sport and unfortunately some are worse than others.

Here are ten of the most wince inducing injuries we’ve seen caught on camera. Thankfully everyone involved did make a full recovery and returned to competition.

Martin Soderstrom’s snapped leg

In 2013, Martin Soderstrom was flying high. He had finished 2nd in the 2012 FMB World Tour and wanted to go one better. At the Red Bull Joyride, he smashed his first run and was sat second. He stepped it up in the second run with a triple tailwhip then had this horror crash off the Cabin Drop.

He was still awarded second place but unfortunately hasn’t reached the same heights since. Thankfully he is still shredding with his trademark Scandi style.

Martin Maes’ broken wrist

Martin Maes’ downhill cameos are nothing if not entertaining. In 2014 and 2015 he embarrassed the entire junior field by peeping out his enduro shell and taking the win. However, this year he stepped up to Elites and suffered this huge smash off the Visit Scotland sender.

The diagnosis was a broken wrist but he was back by the end of the season to win the final EWS of the year in Finale Ligure.

Gee Atherton’s ball buster

Ah, the old stem to bollock interface. It may be the least serious crash on this list but Gee’s nut shot made us wince the most. Gee came second in this race to a resurgent Steve Smith and the rest is history.

We wouldn’t normally pay attention to YouTube comments but this one made us chuckle: ”
‘They hurt but they’re not swollen,’
‘Gee they’re the size of baby elephants’
‘No, they’re always that big.’”

Logan Bingelli’s broken femur

There are surprisingly few Rampage crashes on this list but Logan Bingelli’s is one of the worst. Bingelli attempted top flip off the same Oakley Icon Sender Zink had, but got blown off line. The reaction of the spectators says it all.

Dan Atherton’s life changing dirt jump crash

This crash was a real gut punch to the entire British mountain bike community. The Atherton family seemed invincible in 2010 with all three battling for podium spots week in/ week out.

Dan’s crash on his home dirt jumps on a chilled Tuesday night session left him with a fractured C2 vertebrate and lucky to be not paralysed. We’re not ashamed to admit we shed a tear when we saw him shredding again in Three Minute Gaps.

Josh Bryceland’s broken ankle

What could have been! Is this the most famous crash in downhill racing? Sure if Ratty had just eased off before the bridge he would have worn the Rainbow Stripes, but that just wouldn’t be his style.

Cam Cole’s Andorran RAG DOLL

On the bridge that’s claimed so many victims in the past, Cam Cole tasted some Andorran dirt back in 2013. He was airlifted to hospital and left with one vertebrae (T7), smashed up a couple of teeth and received a whole pile of cuts and bruises.

Thankfully, Cam was philosophical afterwards, he said: “Perhaps I have forced the issue to do well too much, focusing on out come and not the processes to get there. I have been so close before but something always seems to deny me the top step. Lesson are learnt, time to move on.”

Cam was racing World Cups again in 2014 and picked up a handful of top 20s but retired to study at the end of the year.

Cedric Gracia’s near death experience

For such a small crash, this one turned nasty fast. CG was just so unlucky when he severed his femoral artery in the Reunion islands. Thankfully he was riding with people who knew what to do in an emergency and were able to stem the bleeding before it was too late.

Brayden Barrett Hay’s concussion

The first rider on the first drop of the first day at the Red Bull Joyride. Brayden Barrett Hay went down hard with a life threatening crash that saw him close to needing brain surgery.

He was back competing in 2014 and continues to rack up impressive results around the world to this day.

 TIMO PRETZEL Crankworx huck

Timo Pretzel gains eternal kudos for attempting to gap the entire box feature at the first ever Crankworx Slopestyle. Despite shattering his right leg he still picked up second (seeing a theme here?) and holds the title for the biggest huck Crankworx has ever seen.

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