Australian gold medallist Grace Brown has paid a visit to Olympic cycling teammate Luke Plapp in hospital after he crashed out of the men’s time trial on Sunday morning (AEST).
Plapp was rushed into surgery after coming off his bike and suffering an abdominal injury after the 13.1km checkmark in the race.
Disturbing video footage taken by a fan on the sidelines showed the 23-year-old sprawled on the ground and struggling to regain his feet.
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The Australian Olympic Committee confirmed later on Sunday that Plapp was “in a stable condition”, but remained in hospital while he recovered from abdominal surgery.
And he is still there now, but the fallen cyclist got a big lift when close friend Brown, fresh off her gold medal in the women’s time trial, walked through the doors.
“Special visit at the hospital this morning from the OLYMPIC CHAMP,” Plapp captioned a photo of the pair on Instagram.
“Made my day yesterday and today! What an absolute superstar.”
The post was inundated with messages of support, including from a French fan who saw it happened.
“I was a spectator on this cursed roundabout yesterday at the time of your fall and that long before the rescue arrived in the rain, reassured to see that smile, get well soon,” the fan said in French.
In wet conditions that made racing terribly difficult and dangerous, the 23-year-old Plapp had made a promising start to the race, but came off his bike and crashed into the ground after the 13.1km checkpoint.
He had set the fourth-fastest time up until that point.
So jarring was the video of the crash, some were asking it not to be shared.
“Get well soon Luke Plapp, so gutted,” one person said.
“He said in an interview that he’d been on the time trial bike every day since the Giro d’Italia. All in. Please don’t post the video of him post crash, not nice to see.”
Plapp’s parents and the Australian team doctor met him at the hospital.
The young Aussie was one of two competitors who failed to finish the race on the slippery course.
Brown’s brother Hamish said watching her sister was actually a scary experience.
“It was terrifying because that was a very slippery, wet course there,” he told Sunrise.
“Basically, we knew that she had it in her. She’s raced at a very high level in the time trial for a few years now.
“Her form’s on fire, she’s had an incredible racing season this year, so all the ingredients were there for her to really bring it home. She just had to execute, (and) execute she did.
“She put in an incredible race and came in a minute and a half before the next-placed woman.
“So, (we’re a) very, very proud family (and) I’m a very proud brother.”
Hamish said just watching her sister put a “huge amount” of stress on him and the family, given the conditions.
“I did not relax until she’d well and truly passed that finish line,” he said.