Meeus knows a month after horrific Tour crash that some damage is permanent: "The nerve isn’t dead, just damaged"

The Belgian from Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe had a very unfortunate Tour de France: he crashed hard in the third stage. He escaped without any broken bones and was able to continue the Tour, but with extensive abrasions and burns. This meant that the shower was his worst enemy that day. “From the moment you get on the bike, you think: Damn, another half hour closer to showering. The most painful part of the day,” he told the Brabants Dagblad. “It gets stuck in my head. I spend about two hours a day showering and treating my wounds.”

Meeus was present at the pro race in Zevenbergen, a post-Tour criterium. The victory went to his teammate, Danny van Poppel. There he showed all his injuries and scars, which were not insignificant. “Look, you can still see it here. My elbow was pretty badly cut open. And here, on my shoulder, I had a fairly large wound. Both were wide open.” He then turns to his back. “There are a few burns there. Three bikes crashed into me with their front wheels. One fell on top of me. The other two were already braking and stopped against me.”

Those front wheels caused extra damage. "Because one tire was still spinning, the skin on my back burned. Fortunately, after four days, things were looking up, except for my knees, which were a mess. Every time I stretched my leg, there was tension on my skin, and I was in serious pain. The nerve isn't dead, but it is damaged. I try as best I can to leave the bandages on in the shower. The doctor removes them later and cleans the wounds."

More than a month after his crash, Meeus' injuries have still not healed. "On a hot day, the bandages come off because of body sweat. Then I have to shower very carefully. The wounds have to be wrapped up well, otherwise it's impossible."

Despite all his injuries, Meeus finished the Tour de France remarkably well. The first week was particularly hellish. "I suffered a lot and rode around feeling bad for about seven days." But gradually, the Belgian Red Bull rider managed to pull himself up again. Later, he was even able to sprint. “Three weeks of suffering for two sprints.” In his last sprint opportunity, he finished second, just behind winner Jonathan Milan.

Usually, there would have been a third chance, but the ride to the Champs-Elysées suddenly became one for the classic types due to the Montmartre climb. Meeus didn't like it at all. “If you ask around in the peloton, most riders will say they liked it the way it was. So no more Montmartre. After stage 20, it's over. The Tour is done, and the rankings are set. Then everyone can finish the Tour without any stress. Just make it a sprint, like it's always been.”