Irish cyclist Megan Armitage resumed training on Monday after being hit by a bus last week and suffering a concussion.
The accident ended her hopes of competing at the women's Tour de France, which began on Sunday, 23 July. The 26-year-old was set to become the first Irish cyclist to compete in the Tour de France Femmes. Due to medical guidelines, Armitage was sidelined from racing for two weeks due to a blow to the head, and her bike was also destroyed in the collision with the bus.
We are delighted that Megan Armitage has been confirmed as the first Irish rider ever to compete in the women's Tour de France. We are proud to sponsor Megan for her 2023 season. #MHCLaw #Sponsorship #MeganArmitage pic.twitter.com/QI6ojUtXVs
— Mason Hayes & Curran LLP (@MHCLawyers) July 18, 2023
Missing the opportunity to race in the Tour de France was frustrating for Armitage, and she sought a second opinion, hoping for a green light to compete. However, due to the potential dangers after her head injury, the team doctor advised against it.
“I’m all good,” she told The Irish Times on Monday. “I’ve started back training properly. I’m just waiting for a bike. My next big focus is worlds so I’ll be targeting that over the next few weeks.”
“It’s just really disappointing,” she explained. “I was so prepared for it [the Tour]. I’m completely okay so I’m very lucky.
“I have nothing broken, just some cuts and bruises and stitches, but I’m completely grand. I asked them [the hospital in France] to do a concussion test but they didn’t do one. They didn’t really understand what I was asking.
“My head smashed through the windscreen so they said that I have a ‘probable’ concussion and said I can’t race for 15 days. The team doctor said I can’t race as it’s too dangerous. I did hit my head so I completely understand their reasoning. I just wanted to be on the start line so badly.”
Irish rider Megan Armitage has been forced out the Tour de France Femmes after being involved in a head-on collision with a bus while out on a training ride https://t.co/BZ8pYh9FJa
— Independent Sport (@IndoSport) July 21, 2023
Armitage has been a strong competitor for the Arkéa Pro Cycling team this year, achieving notable results such as winning the final stage and the overall classification in the Vuelta Extremadura Féminas in Spain, and securing fourth place in the Grand Prix Féminin de Chambéry.
While the Tour de France Femmes peloton races on to Montignac-Lascaux, Armitage remains focused on her upcoming participation in the women's road race at the world championships in Glasgow on August 13th. The event will also feature the 2022 national champion Alice Sharpe and current champion Lara Gillespie.
