Cycling carnage as champion slams into crowds

THIs was the moment an Olympic champion cyclist and his bike went flying into a crowd of terrified parents and children at the Commonwealth Games.

England’s Matt Walls was catapulted over the barriers after a near40mph multi-rider crash at the velodrome in London, smashing into a group of stunned spectators who were sitting on the front row.

One man was left covered in blood and was taken away in a wheelchair, while a young girl also required medical attention. The rest of yesterday’s session at the Lee Valley VeloPark was abandoned and spectators were asked to leave the venue as Walls was treated in the stands for more than 40 minutes.

The 24-year-old was then taken to hospital. A Team England spokesman said: ‘Following medical treatment in hospital, Matt Walls has

been discharged with stitches in his forehead, scrapes and bruises but thankfully no major injuries.’

Two other riders, Matt Bostock, of the Isle of Man, and Canadian Derek Gee, were also taken to hospital for checks. The crash led to questions over the design of the barriers and the proximity of fans. It came on the final lap of the second heat of the men’s 15km scratch race qualifying yesterday.

Barbados rider Jamol Eastmond and Bostock collided towards the bottom of the track, which sent two other riders up the banked slope. Walls was behind the initial impact and tried to avoid the fallen riders by heading towards the barrier, but lost control and went into the stands.

Gee also surfed the top of the barrier before falling back on to the track. The accident came just a day after another high-speed crash involving an England cyclist at the London track. Joe Truman was knocked unconscious and suffered a broken collarbone after being wiped out while riding at 45mph in the keirin.

Following yesterday’s incident, a Birmingham 2022 spokesman said: ‘Three cyclists and two spectators have been treated by the on-site medical team. The three cyclists have been taken to hospital. The two spectators did not require hospital treatment.’

Walls was one of the favourites to win gold for England in Birmingham 2022 after his success at last year’s Olympics in Tokyo.

The Oldham-born rider won a gold and a silver medal in Japan and was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours.

Collision course: Children are among the spectators hit by Walls and his bike

Evasive action: Matt Walls zooms into the barriers yesterday as he avoids two crashed riders

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Horrified: Fans brace at London’s Lee Valley VeloPark as the cyclist flies towards them. Behind him, Canada’s Derek Gee also tries to avoid a collision

Damage control: Gee, right, lands back on the track, while the English rider ends up in a horizontal position in the crowd