- Cyclist Luke Plapp underwent surgery following a race accident in Paris
- The 23-year-old Aussie was competing in the Olympic time trial on Sunday
- The emerging talent later posted images of his injury on Instagram
Aussie cyclist Luke Plapp has unveiled one of the most shocking injuries of the Games after a horrific incident during the Paris time trials that necessitated abdominal surgery.
Plapp, competing in his inaugural Olympics, fell off his bike after reaching the 13.1km mark on Sunday and was immediately transported to the hospital.
The 23-year-old shared with his Instagram followers the extent of his injury before receiving medical treatment—definitely not for the squeamish.
‘Paris 2024…..I had envisioned this day for the last three years – not in this way, but I will definitely remember it,’ he shared.
‘Still in the hospital for now, but fortunate to have my closest friends with me and the support from everyone….Looking forward to seeing you in 1,445 days for LA [the next Olympic Games in 2028].
Among the images he posted was one of him using a green whistle—a tool provided to patients for pain relief—while enjoying a doner kebab.
Aussie swimming great Libby Trickett sent him her well wishes on social media, and teammate Grace Brown—who secured gold in the Women’s time trial—later visited him in person, lifting his spirits.
Before his crash, Plapp was just two seconds behind then-leader Wout van Aert and had previously recorded the fourth-fastest time in the event.
Aussie Olympic cyclist Luke Plapp has revealed the Games’ most gruesome injury (pictured) after he was involved in a horror incident during the time trials in Paris that left him needing abdominal surgery
Plapp, who was competing in his first Olympics, fell from his bike after the 13.1km checkpoint on Sunday and was taken to the hospital (pictured with girlfriend Georgia Baker)
The 23-year-old was racing in difficult conditions in pouring Paris rain before his fall (pictured, after the accident)
Plapp also shared an image of himself savoring a kebab after his medal hopes in the time trial were dashed
The challenging conditions rendered the race perilous for all competitors, particularly in the intricate middle section where Plapp fell at high speed.
Footage shared online captured the cyclist struggling to stand before receiving assistance from an Australian team member.
The Olympics opted not to broadcast the disturbing footage on their official site, and many cycling fans concurred it wasn’t appropriate for sharing.
‘Not pleasant to witness,’ one user remarked on X.
Plapp is a three-time national road race champion and two-time national time trial victor.
He was set to compete in the road race alongside fellow Aussies Michael Matthews and Simon Clarke on August 3, but has now been replaced by Ben O’Connor.
