Geerike Schreurs speaks out after nasty Gravel World Championship crash: 'A few ambulance and helicopter rides'

Schreurs was part of a chasing group behind Tiffany Cromwell of Australia, who was leading at the time, along with Vos, among others.

On the wet gravel roads in Nannup, Schreurs was riding at the front of the group on a descent when she lost control of her bike and was forced off to the side of the gravel road. She hit the ground hard.

Schreurs was left in pain, and the medical staff removed her helmet while the rider lay on the ground, visibly shaken.

TeamNL shared an initial medical update on Schreurs on Monday. “During the elite women’s race at the Gravel World Championships, Geerike Schreurs suffered a serious crash. She sustained multiple fractures, including a broken cervical and thoracic vertebra. The surgery was successful. A long rehabilitation process will follow. Fortunately, Geerike is incredibly resilient and is doing well under the circumstances.”

A day later, the rider—who finished second at Unbound earlier this year—posted a message herself. “What started with a perfect start and great support from Specialized turned into a nightmare in a fraction of a second.”

I felt great both physically and mentally leading up to the race. And everything was going according to plan right up until the crash. It’s unbelievable how quickly things can change; my front wheel got stuck in a rut, which pulled me to the left into the shoulder and caused me to crash hard. I knew right away that something was wrong, and my back was in a lot of pain.'

"Many thanks to Aisleigh Moolman-Pasio, who stayed with me," Schreurs continues. "After a few ambulance and helicopter rides, I arrived at the hospital in Perth. The crash left me with multiple fractures in my neck and spine, as well as a broken collarbone and several broken ribs."

"I had back surgery yesterday, and thankfully it went well. I'll be staying in Perth for a few weeks to recover before flying back to the Netherlands to continue my rehabilitation. I want to thank all the medical staff along the way, my team for their ongoing support, and, of course, everyone who has reached out to me over the past two days."

"I haven't been able to reply to everyone yet, but your well-wishes mean a lot to me. I'm in good hands here and will get back to my old self step by step," concludes the feisty Dutchwoman, who shared via her Stories that she had already been able to walk 50 meters.