Kiwi’s face smashed in hit-and-run crash
Promising New Zealand cyclist Michael Torckler is in intensive care with 20 fractures to his face after being the victim of a hit-andrun incident in California.
Torckler was rushed to hospital yesterday in a critical condition after apparently being struck head-on by a vehicle while training on his own in Santa Rosa, an hour north of San Francisco.
The 25-year-old New Plymouth cyclist sustained serious head injuries which, according to his father, left him looking like ‘‘he’s been in the boxing ring and somebody’s worked him over’’.
He is currently under sedation in intensive care to enable bruising and bleeding to subside.
He also faces major surgery in the coming days.
Torckler’s father, Brohn, said the situation was hard to fathom but he was relieved to have received some positive news.
‘‘Our day turned upside-down at 10 o’clock this morning,’’ he said. ‘‘He’s got massive head injuries but it appears from their Cat scans there’s no internal damage or bleeding, and we’re all so thankful for that.
‘‘It’s hard to get your head around. We thought, ‘ Oh no, not again’. He’s had the odd injury in the past but this is the most serious.’’
Mr Torckler thought the fractures to his son’s nose, eye sockets and forehead suggested the cyclist collided head-first into the vehicle. ‘‘His face has taken the brunt of the impact, which is very shuddering to think about,’’ he said. ‘‘ There is no injury whatsoever from his nose downwards on the rest of his body — no broken limbs or anything.’’
Mr Torckler and his wife, Linda, were flying to the United States last night, and he was confident Michael would be able to recover and achieve his goal of competing in cycling’s Grand Tours.
‘‘If anyone’s going to recover from something like this, he’s the guy.’’
Torckler rides professionally for New Zealand team Pure Black Racing, and Pure Black business director Greg Cross said members of the squad were by Torckler’s side in hospital. ‘‘Michael’s a hugely talented young cyclist. He’s proven to be very resilient and a tough character so we’re hopeful he pulls through this as quickly as possible.’’ — APNZ