Dylan van Baarle's season over after being hit by car as Pauline Ferrand-Prévot says helmet 'saved his life'
Dylan van Baarle's 2026 season has come to an abrupt end after the Dutchman was involved in a collision with a car while training in Tiel on Wednesday morning. The Soudal Quick-Step rider suffered a fractured wrist that requires surgery, while his partner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot revealed just how serious the accident could have been.
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Van Baarle was taken to hospital following the collision, where he underwent a CT scan to assess the extent of his injuries. Fortunately, the examination revealed no damage to his skull or spine, despite a heavy impact to his head.
Ferrand-Prévot, who is preparing to marry the former Paris-Roubaix winner, expressed her relief on Instagram after an emotional day.
"He got a big impact on his head, the helmet definitely saved his life," the Frenchwoman wrote.
Van Baarle also suffered a fractured wrist, with surgery scheduled for Thursday. The injury means he will not race again this season.
The timing of the accident is particularly unfortunate for Van Baarle and Ferrand-Prévot, who are due to get married soon.
"I'm really really grateful that things turned out pretty well," Ferrand-Prévot wrote, reflecting on the frightening hours following the collision.
She also thanked Soudal Quick-Step for arranging medical care and expressed her appreciation for the friends who helped the couple through what she described as a "really horrible, long and stressful day".
Despite the shock, Ferrand-Prévot found room for a little humour about the unusual circumstances surrounding their upcoming wedding.
"I'm going to sleep alone for few nights, but that is the tradition before the big wedding day i guess," she wrote.
Soudal Quick-Step confirm season-ending injury
Soudal Quick-Step confirmed that Van Baarle had escaped serious head and spinal injuries but would need an operation on his fractured wrist.
"Following the incident Dylan was taken to hospital where he underwent a CT scan, which has fortunately revealed no damage to his skull and spine," the Belgian team stated.
"He did however sustain a fracture to his wrist, which will require surgery and mean an end to his season."
The crash brings an abrupt end to Van Baarle's 2026 campaign, his first season with the Belgian squad. The Dutchman competed in the Tour de France and several major spring Classics this year, but struggled to match the standout results of previous seasons.
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