Italian cyclist Lorenzo Gobbo suffers punctured lung after being impaled on huge wooden spike
WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: The 17-year-old suffered the gruesome injury at the European Under-23 and Junior track Championships in Ghent
![](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/zsK9soqO/poster.jpg?width=720)
Support truly
independent journalism
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
![Louise Thomas](https://static.independent.co.uk/static-assets/support-us/louise-thomas.png)
Louise Thomas
Editor
Italian cyclist Lorenzo Gobbo has suffered a horror injury after impaling himself on a huge wooden spike at the European Under-23 and Junior track Championships.
The 17-year-old has suffered a punctured lung with a three-hour operation required following the horrendous incident in Ghent, Belgium.
The half-metre splinter punctured through his back and out the front of his torso.
The dangerous splinter by the track was caused after a collision between a group of riders saw a pedal lodge itself into the floor to lift up the spike.
Gobbo remains in intensive care but has showed promising signs as he begins his recovery.
Chief executive Cycling Vlaanderen Frank Glorieux provided an update on Gobbo following emergency surgery at Jan Palfijn hospital.
"After the operation he is recovering well but stays in intensive care to prevent infection," Glorieux told BBC Sport.
![Lorenzo Gobbo suffered a horror injury](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2019/07/14/11/lorenzo-gobbo.jpg)
"He said he would have won the race rather than make the newspapers this way.
"He could still laugh, but he doesn't want to ride on the track for the time being.
![Gobbo reacts after his horror injury](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2019/07/14/11/gobbo.jpg)
"He will have to find his courage.
"He should recover completely, but there is a long recovery time ahead for him."
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments