European Triathlon Championships in Hamburg: Motorcyclist dies in collision with athlete

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At the triathlon in Hamburg, an escort vehicle collided with a cyclist

Photo: IMAGO/nordphoto GmbH/ Witke / IMAGO/Nordphoto

At the Ironman European Championship in Hamburg, the rider of a support motorcycle died in a serious accident. After about 2:25 hours, the motorcycle rider had collided head-on with a participant on the bike course for reasons still unknown.

The head of operations of the police confirmed to the ARD "Sportschau" that the motorcyclist had died at the scene of the accident. The participant was seriously injured, but according to the current state of affairs not in mortal danger. The cameraman on the motorcycle was slightly injured and, like the participant, was taken to hospital.

The accident occurred on a section of the road that runs along a dike. The route is led past each other so that the cyclists meet each other.

Race continued, broadcast cancelled

Nevertheless, the race continued for the time being. The majority of the participants had to pause behind the accident site. On the second lap of the cycling race, the riders again had to pass the accident site, which had not yet been cleared. There, all drivers had to dismount before the accident site, push the bike over a dike and then get back on.

According to information from the »Sportschau«, Olympic champion Jan Frodeno plans to abandon the race. Accordingly, he could not imagine how he could "run with a happy face to the finish line in the city center of Hamburg". Actually, he wanted to say goodbye to the German audience with his first Ironman in almost two years.

ARD cancelled the online broadcast via livestream after the exact circumstances became known. "We ask for your understanding, but the circumstances and the consideration for the deceased and injured and the relatives, I believe, dictate that we put an end to the live reporting here. Thank you very much," said Sportschau reporter Ralf Scholt.

At 10:18 a.m., ARD stopped commenting. After about 15 minutes of aerial photos of Hamburg were broadcast, the broadcaster finally stopped the livestream completely.

ast/dpa