Swiss cyclist seriously injured in Bad Radkersburg collision

Three cyclists were injured in a collision on a cycle path in the town of Bad Radkersburg in southeast Styria on Saturday afternoon, ORF reported. A 64-year-old Swiss woman suffered serious injuries and was flown by rescue helicopter to the Graz hospital.

At about 12:35 p.m., the woman was travelling from Bad Radkersburg’s main square towards Liebmannsee with her husband and another Swiss holidaying couple. The two men rode ahead on e-bikes, while the women followed.

Police said the two women were talking while riding. When turning from Trummerweg onto the R2 cycle path, the 64-year-old appears to have been briefly distracted and moved into the oncoming lane.

A 36-year-old cyclist from Vienna saw her approaching and immediately braked hard, but could not prevent a head-on collision. Her partner, a 36-year-old man from the Leibnitz district, was riding directly behind her and also failed to stop in time, colliding with her bicycle. All three cyclists fell.

The 64-year-old was unconscious on the cycle path after the crash. The 36-year-old man called emergency services and provided first aid until rescuers arrived. After emergency treatment, the Swiss woman was flown to the Graz hospital with suspected severe traumatic brain injury. The two 36-year-olds suffered minor injuries.

All three cyclists were wearing helmets.