This week’s Vertical discusses why travel insurance for professional cyclists is essential. We use a case study from a professional cyclist to help discuss this vital topic.
“Standing in the pit, craning my neck to watch the first 100m of the race on the big screen, I was excited to see how the European champs would pan out for Helen. I turned my back to take up my position as a pitman, and a few seconds later, I was told Helen had had a severe crash. I immediately rushed to find Helen on the course.
“She was in a dire condition; her helmet was badly smashed, and she was in extreme pain. She had no idea where she was and couldn’t hold or remember any information for more than a few seconds. She couldn’t see me but could hear me. It’s pretty scary, especially when it’s your wife.” Stefan Wyman
On the 6th of October 2016, Helen Wyman was preparing for the Cyclocross World Championships in the Belgian town of Heusden-Zolder.
As one of Britain’s most successful cyclocross riders – with over a decade racing as a professional, 9 UK National Champion jerseys, and 2 European Championships victories – this should have been just another day at the office.
We asked Helen about the crash and her experiences of claiming through Yellow Jersey travel insurance for professional cyclists while coping with serious injuries.
You were involved in a severe collision with another rider at the start of the 2016 European Championships. Can you tell us a little about what happened to you that day?
Shortly after starting the European Championships in 2016, I was involved in a crash. I’m still unsure of the exact details, but another rider’s foot came out of their pedal and ended up in my front wheel. I didn’t see it happening as they were coming from behind, but the result was me going over the handlebars and stopping on a gravel surface. I was most likely travelling around 40kmph or a little more at the time. With no time to react or even realise it was going to happen, my head and right shoulder took the full force of the crash.
My collarbone was broken, both knees were in a bad way, my shoulder was wrecked, and my face was pretty badly cut and grazed. I have no memory of the crash, and for a few hours, I had no short-term memory at all. I still have a few memory issues from it, but I consider myself lucky it wasn’t worse.
The news that your crash was more severe than a bit of gravel rash came out quickly after the race. What was the extent of your injuries?
My shoulder wasn’t broken, but the depth of the injury led to an infection, which took about six weeks to clear. My collarbone was broken and required a plate and pin repair. My face required minor surgery to fix, as did both knees. It wasn’t a simple set of injuries, with my mobility seriously affected for many weeks.
Did you need to use your travel insurance coverage during your treatment and return home to France?
I was taken to hospital by ambulance from the race after 45 minutes of emergency treatment at the venue by the French team doctor. The crash happened in North West France on Sunday, and I was released from the hospital that night despite a heavy concussion. Everybody I’ve seen since the medical profession has been pretty horrified I was released, but that’s how it was. The following day I called my sports doctor in Belgium, who saw me that night (a 9-hour drive later). That was Monday evening, and he arranged for me to have surgery on Wednesday. It wasn’t possible before as it was a National Holiday in Belgium. At that point, my husband called Yellow Jersey and explained the situation.
It was the first time we’d needed to call upon Yellow Jersey, thankfully. We weren’t sure what to expect, and it was a stressful time. But the service was terrific. Calm and helpful, and always putting my health first. Some forms to complete followed, and we were instructed what to ask for in the hospital. We even allowed the hospital to deal directly with the insurance company to avoid being the middleman, allowing me to focus entirely on recovery and not worry about paying invoices.
It was explained to us quickly and clearly what would be covered, including other areas like hotel expenses resulting from the change of plans. It was all a significant relief.
How did you and Stefan find the process of claiming your insurance?
The process continued to be simple, even after I’d returned home to France to recover post-surgery. I had several doctor consultations and a trip to Belgium to get clearance from the surgeon to start riding again. The process was simple, especially as the communication was so clear.
As a professional, how important do you think it is to have coverage for the costs of emergency medical care while competing overseas?
I don’t think it’s just important to have cover; it’s essential. I would never consider travelling without it. The financial implications of an accident abroad can be huge, sometimes more life-changing than the injury itself. I have the peace of mind of knowing my cover is applicable for racing as a pro and training. It’s a significant factor that keeps me with Yellow Jersey as they have the expertise to understand what I’m doing in all cycling areas. I’m therefore confident I’m always covered. As a professional athlete, it is essential to note that you can’t simply buy travel insurance from anyone.
How has your recovery been since the crash?
The recovery has been long. I was able to return to racing 12 weeks after the crash but was nowhere near race fit. I just needed to race a bike for my mind. I finished 16th at the world champs the following week. I took a steady approach to build back up over the summer months. I was starting at a low level of fitness. I’d lost some muscle, and my shoulder/collarbone is still a minor issue now, given it’s the shoulder I carry my bike on in cyclocross.
I still have the plate in, and hopefully, that can remain there until after I’ve finished racing. It’s not too noticeable, and I wear a protective pad over it during events. But a crash like this and the resulting costs could quickly have finished a rider’s career, and that’s not exaggerating.
I’m incredibly grateful I was covered.
“I don’t think it’s just important to have travel insurance for professional cycling. I think it’s essential. I would never consider travelling without it.” Helen Wyman
Helen was a professional rider. She competed at the highest level from the US to Europe, week in and week out; if you need travel insurance for professional cyclists, then we can help you with that via our Yellow Jersey Business.
If you’re an amateur rider, you may face similar risks. A simple mistake at a cyclocross race, triathlon, mountain biking event or even a sportive can lead to severe consequences. If you injure yourself while riding or racing overseas, our consumer product Yellow Jersey Cycle Travel Insurance, covers the costs of emergency medical care and repatriation expenses.
The last thing you need while coping with injury away from home is the financial burden of a cycling accident, where bills can quickly escalate. In the same way, we need extra cover while skiing and snowboarding; we need specialist cover while cycling overseas.
While most travel insurance will include some form of cycling coverage, almost all exclude any timed event. In many cases, if cycling is the primary reason for your trip, it will be excluded from your cover. GHIC, the Global Health Insurance Card, will only cover your medical costs at state-run hospitals, a rare commodity in certain parts of Europe, especially in mountainous regions.
Our Yellow Jersey Cycle Travel Insurance was written to provide amateur riders with medical coverage when riding outside the UK.