Matt Hauser is looking to get back in the saddle as quickly as possible after the reigning WTCS champion crashed out of Saturday’s race in Alghero during a dramatic, but painful, bike leg.
Seemingly well set for another dominant series victory, the Australian had put in a strong swim and was among the leaders coming out of T1 when his hopes for a second win of the season were crushed as he hit the Sardinian tarmac.
Sliding across the road as his wheels escaped from under him, he lost much of the skin on his right arm and shoulder, as well as taking a bump to the head in a fall, which saw him drop to the back of the race and out of contention.
‘Tough weekend, but smiling always’
Never one to quit unnecessarily, he did get back up and put in an impressive bike section alongside fellow faller Sebastian Wernersen (NOR), but as he entered T2, he gave the sign that enough was enough, and he called it a day.
His DNF will have been doubly disappointing, as it came on the opening weekend of Olympic qualification – although there are plenty more on offer for him to chase in the weeks and months to come.
“Tough weekend for me, but smiling always!” he wrote on his Instagram account. “After a great start and promising early signs for the break, I slid out on a tricky corner on lap 1. By the time I bent my derailleur back into place, I was well out of the race.
“I salvaged a strong ride with @sebastianwernersen and decided to pull the pin before the run. Just skin off, thankfully, but I had hit my head, so I will be taking it easy over the next few days!
‘We’re all fierce competitors’
“We’re all fierce competitors out there, and this is why I love this truest form of racing. Olympic qualification points up for grabs, just laying your nuts on the line and not looking back.
“Thanks for all the well wishes. Thoughts are with everyone who had a tough day, and congrats to those who tasted success. ❤️ The next battle couldn’t come sooner.”
The bike leg in Alghero was as thrilling as it was punishing, with Hauser’s incident then followed by another on lap six, which put paid to the efforts of Germany’s Henry Graf, Spain’s David Cantero del Campo and Britain’s Hugo Milner.
Graf, who had been unlucky enough to hit the deck as a result of Hauser’s slip on lap one, was the cause of the mayhem on lap six as he careered around a tight corner, only to hit the kerb and leave a trail of destruction in his wake.
‘This time it was totally my fault’
An injured hand saw del Campo taken to hospital, while Graf and Milner were clearly unable to carry on with their bikes in a state of disrepair.
Milner said later that he had very nearly avoided those who had fallen in front of him, but that once he got up to try and put his chain back on, he realised his rear hanger had completely snapped off.
Graf, who will certainly have better days on the WTCS circuit, is now headed for the European Championships in Tarragona on June 13. He also posted his thoughts on Instagram, with a note of apology to those who were affected by his crunching fall.
He posted a video which shows in slow motion the impact of the crash, with the words: “In order to crash twice, you have to get up once! 🤷🏽♂️”
“DNF in Alghero. 🫤 All went well till I was caught up in a crash right in front of me on the first lap of the bike, and I tried to chase for a while till I went down a second time lol, this time it was totally my fault.
“Already crooked handlebars probably didn‘t help as well. Sorry for the other athletes who crashed!! Part of the game, I guess. Time to strike back at European Champs in two weeks. 🇪🇺⚔️”
The next WTCS race takes place in Quiberon, France, where the athletes will be hoping for better luck as they attempt to stay upright on their bikes.
