Dylan Groenewegen Slapped With Lengthy Ban For Causing Cycling Crash That Left Rival In A Coma

It's one of the nastiest and biggest crashes in recent cycling history.

And Dylan Groenewegen has been punished for his role in it.

The Dutch cyclist has been handed a nine-month ban from the sport for causing a sprint-finish crash during the Tour of Poland.

But this wasn't just any crash, this was an incident that left his rival cyclist Fabio Jakobsen in a coma as a result of suffering severe facial injuries.

A disciplinary panel from the International Cycling Union ruled that Groenewegen was, in fact, at fault for the crash.

The six-month suspension means he will not be able to compete again until May 7 2021, meaning he misses a host of big events across the globe.

The released a statement saying that Groenewgen had "collaborated with the investigation and accepted to serve a period of suspension."

In his own statement, Groenewgen said: "The crash in the first stage of the Tour of Poland will forever be a black page in my career.

"I hope this has been a wise lesson for every sprinter.

"I follow the news of Fabio's recovery very closely. I can only hope that one day he will return completely."

As for Jakobsen, he thankfully regained his health back after a long stint in hospital.

"I am very grateful that I am still alive," he said.

Topics: Cycling, Australia,

Max Sherry

Max Sherry is a journalist for SPORTbible Australia. After migrating Down Under from London as a teenager, he instantly fell in love with Aussie sport and its culture. From NRL to AFL, cricket to rugby — you name it, Max watches it (with a beer in hand, of course). During his time at Fox Sports, he worked in the football department covering the Premier League, A-League, Socceroos and Matildas. Born a stone's throw away from West Ham's training ground, Max is obviously a die-hard Liverpool fan.

@maxysherry