What should have been a great start to the season ends in tragedy for Pieter Heemeryck: the Belgian triathlete was hit by a car in New Zealand’s Taupo on Thursday as he doing one of his final bike training sessions before Ironman New Zealand. In the process, he broke his collarbone.
For Heemeryck, this means he will pack his bags and head home early. “I had no chance and that’s a big disappointment because I was in a great shape. I biked on the same road all week to avoid accidents and then I end up getting mowed off the road on that very road, just two kilometers from my apartment. I went to the hospital, where they took pictures and determined that my collarbone is broken. I’m flying home today.”
The disappointment, of course, is enormous. “Don’t talk about it. I was really feeling good and ready for the race.”
