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Wales Online
Sport
Jon Doel

Horror Commonwealth Games cycling crash injures spectators as event abandoned amid huge concern for cyclist

The men's scratch 15km track cycling event at the Commonwealth Games was halted after a horror crash saw an English competitor and his bike catapulted into the crowd in Birmingham.

Cyclist Matt Walls was still receiving treatment some 40 minutes after the incident, which has stunned the Games. Protective screens were put up around the area in which Walls was being treated. At 1.16pm, an announcement on the tannoy at the velodrome asked spectators to leave the Lee Valley VeloPark venue, with the event abandoned.

Walls has been taken to hospital, with Team England confirming he was awake and alert. Another cyclist, Matt Bostock of the Isle of Man, was taken away on a stretcher and transferred to hospital. A third cyclist is also in hospital.

Read next: Wales rugby team lose to England at Commonwealth Games and can't now make top 10

Members of the crowd were also injured, with one spectator seen being taken away in a wheelchair covered in blood. A young girl was also treated for a cut to her arm.

A statement from British Cycling said: "Following a crash in the men’s scratch, Matt Walls & Matt Bostock are being treated by medics before being taken to hospital for further treatment.

"We send our best wishes to the riders and spectators involved in the incident, and will provide a further update when we can."

Team England tweeted: "Following a crash in the cycling men’s scratch race, Matt Walls has been taken to hospital for precautionary checks. We send our best wishes to the riders and spectators involved in the incident, and will provide a further update when we can."

BBC sports reporter Laura Scott tweeted:

Walls, a 24-year-old Olympic omnium champion, was trying to avoid riders who had fallen in a crash lower down the banking but as he rode up, he clipped another wheel and went over the top of the barriers into unsighted spectators.

The men's 15km scratch race qualifying race had entered its final lap with riders sprinting to the finish. Just eight riders appeared to manage to stay on their bikes. The BBC commentators described it as a "really nasty, high speed crash which has taken out a large number of the field...a horrible moment here inside the Velodrome."

Support staff and crews were seen running to the scene with medics. Cameras cut away from the incident to give privacy with at least one rider appeared to be being put on a stretcher.

Isle of Man's Matthew Bostock is carried on a stretcher following a massive crash (Getty Images)

"There will be a lot of shock among those in the crowd as well as those in the field," the commentator continued.

Welsh rider Will Roberts was in the race, but is not involved. Welsh Cycling tweeted: "Sending our love and best wishes to those injured in the crash at the Velodrome today. On behalf of all of us at Welsh Cycling we hope for a speedy recovery. We can confirm that Will Roberts is ok, and was not involved in the accident."

Canadian Mathias Guillemette was disqualified from the race for causing the initial crash.

Cyclist Joe Truman was knocked out cold and suffered a suspected broken collarbone after a separate horror 70km/h keirin smash that shocked the Commonwealth Games on Saturday.

The 25-year-old crashed into Australian defending champion Matt Glaetzer and amid flying debris was knocked unconscious, receiving oxygen from trackside medics.

Read more:

Who are the presenters and commentators for the Commonwealth Games 2022?

Wales claim second medal at 2022 Commonwealth Games as cycling trio claim bronze in team sprint

Wales rugby team knocked out at Commonwealth Games by Fiji despite impressive performance

Wales win first medal of 2022 Commonwealth Games as cyclist James Ball claims silver

Wales rugby team lose to England at Commonwealth Games and can't now make top 10

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