Seven amateur cyclists on a group training ride were seriously injured after being hit by a large camper recreational vehicle (RV) on Saturday 27 August in Flagstaff, Arizona, with three requiring emergency transportation to hospital.

A huge RV 30 feet long by 10 feet wide ran into the group of 15+ cyclists at a high rate of speed while they were riding a double paceline on Lake Mary Road, sending riders immediately to ground in a massive pileup as shown in video below. CAUTION: SOME VIEWERS MAY FIND THE VIDEO DISTURBING

Matthew McElroy, who was on the ride, provided an update Sunday on the injured: “One rider was in surgery this morning to repair a snapped clavicle with ligament damage. They were concussed and couldn’t recall the date or month. Another rider was discharged yesterday afternoon with multiple fractures to their scapula (Which may need surgery) and a fractured lumbar transverse process. The third hospitalized rider was discharged yesterday afternoon with a fractured clavicle and concussion. A rider who did not require emergency transportation visited urgent care to address a possible patella fracture and/ or tendon damage. Several riders are suffering from severe road rash while others sustained minor injuries.”

The first rider hit, 37 year-old category 4 road racer Dane Wallace, was launched into the air, tumbled into the middle of the peloton and then crashed into another half-dozen riders due to the high speed impact. “I just felt the impact and then I was rolling on the ground for a while,” Wallace said. “It’s just terrifying.”

So far, the RV driver has only been cited for failing to provide enough room when passing under Arizona’s 3 foot safe passing law (A.R.S. 28-735), which requires motorists leave a distance of “not less than three feet” when overtaking a cyclist. If found guilty of violating the 3 foot law, the RV driver faces a maximum fine of $500.

The 70-mile group ride, lead by Team Pay-N-Take, takes place Saturday mornings at a “25+ mph race pace with 12-50 riders, including pros, local characters, fast kids, strong masters and triathletes.”

Arizona has a full history of tragic accidents between cyclists and vehicles. In 2021 at the state championship road race a truck driver intentionally mowed down the peloton, killing one. Earlier this year two riders were killed when a vehicle plowed into a Saturday group ride outside of Phoenix.

Photo Credit: Matthew McElroy

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