In a dramatic turn of events at the 2024 Paris Olympics, France’s Loana Lecomte suffered a severe crash during the women’s cross-country mountain bike race. The incident occurred as she was navigating the treacherous rock garden descent at Élancourt Hill. Initially, Lecomte was stretchered off the course to receive immediate medical attention.
Lecomte was in contention for a medal, trailing her compatriot Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who had surged ahead in a solo attack. The crash on the rock section disrupted her race and caused significant concern among spectators and team members.
“She lost consciousness briefly but is now awake and under medical care. She is doing fine,” stated the French Cycling Federation (FFC), as reported by France 3.
The coach of the French mountain bike team provided further reassurance about Lecomte’s condition. Speaking to France TV, he said, “Loana has sustained a facial trauma that is not serious. She will recover and come back stronger.”
Lecomte was later seen leaving the venue with bandages on her arm and face, yet managed to smile, indicating that the injuries were not as severe as initially feared.
“We can imagine her pain. She was well-prepared and performing strongly in the first two laps. Loana is fearless, coming from an alpine skiing background. She rides at high speeds and takes significant risks. With her youth, we can guide her development. We supported Pauline (Ferrand-Prévot) similarly after Rio,” said Yvan Clolus, the French mountain bike coach, in an interview with L’Equipe.
Lecomte had been one of the pre-race favorites for a medal and had shown strong form from the start. She was part of an early lead group with Ferrand-Prévot, which broke away from the main pack on the first 4.4km lap. However, she couldn’t keep up with Ferrand-Prévot’s aggressive pace on the subsequent lap, falling into a chase group with Jenny Rissveds (Sweden), Laura Stigger (Austria), and Haley Batten (USA).
The fourth lap proved disastrous for Lecomte as she crashed while descending the rock garden behind Stigger. She remained on the ground until medical personnel swiftly attended to her.
Lecomte had prioritized the Olympic Games, skipping the Les Gets World Cup in early July for a high-altitude training camp after securing a victory at the Crans-Montana round.
Last year, Lecomte secured a silver medal at the Glasgow World Championships in cross-country mountain biking, finishing behind Ferrand-Prévot. She also dominated the mountain bike Test Event at Élancourt Hill, underscoring her prowess on the Olympic course.
Despite the setback, Lecomte’s resilience and determination suggest she will recover and continue to be a formidable competitor in the sport.