Veteran cyclist crushed by car

A man is in a serious but stable condition in hospital after he was crushed by a car yesterday, prior to the start of a cycling race in Currow, Co Kerry.

Laurent Dumoulin, from Lombardstown, Co Cork, was getting ready for the John Drumm Memorial Cup behind his car yesterday at around 10am when a car pulled out of an entrance and he was crushed between the two vehicles.

His own car was jerked forward, injuring his son Arnaud, who was due to ride in the U12 race at 11am, as well as an elderly man. All three were taken by ambulance to Tralee General Hospital but Mr Dumoulin senior was then airlifted to Cork University Hospital, such was the seriousness of his injuries.

Mr Dumoulin, a well known veteran rider with the Kanturk Cycling Club, suffered severe internal injuries as well as extensive damage to his lower limbs.

A fellow cyclist who was at the scene said: “It was like a nightmare. He was in such pain and we all knew it was extremely serious straight away.

“It seemed like he was there for a while but luckily there were a good lot of ambulances nearby and they managed to stabilise him, or so it seemed.

“I think he was very fortunate that there was a surgeon or doctor who managed to stem the bleeding. There was a lot of blood though, and it was very traumatising for everyone,” he said.

The programme of races went ahead but several riders who heard or saw the incident did not start.

Mr Dumoulin had suffered another accident some years ago in a race in Wexford, when he was hit head-on by a vehicle.