The season premiere of Belgian Le Samyn des Dames was just a day away for Emilia Fahlin.
On Monday, the day before the competition, Fahlin was cycling with his team before this week's competitions when the accident occurred.
- We were probably seven and would spin a little easily before the race.
We drove through a small village and I'm lying there in front with another teammate and the others are behind.
From nowhere you get the feeling of panic that someone is screaming and then it is a cat that rushes out, says Fahlin.
She continues:
- I see it out of the corner of my eye and then there was something rock hard under my front wheel - and then I just fly.
It went so damn fast and we did not see it coming.
It was pure damn bad luck that it jumped out in front of us and that you got it on the front wheel.
The cat ran away
How is the cat?
- It was not left there at the crash.
It must have managed so well that it ran away, which was nice.
But it's probably a little bruised, too.
How are you?
- I'm fine.
It could have been good much worse.
I managed quite easily but then it's very boring to sit in the car on the way home from Arlanda instead of competing.
It is not an optimal start.
Armen i mitella
One elbow was the one that took the biggest blow.
Fahlin can not stretch or move his arm fully - but X-rays showed that at least there was no fracture.
Now rest is waiting for Fahlin, who will have his left arm in a mitella for at least a week
- The only thing I had time to do was cycle 20 kilometers and then sit in hospital for the rest of the day.
Now you lose a lot of the preparations but I hope you can cycle a little in a week.
But it is a step back from where you wanted to be, says Fahlin.