Fabien crashed during stage 1 at the Enduro World Series 2014 in Chile. He finished stage 2 and 3 and decided not to compete on day two. Here is why (taken from his FB page)
We are racers and determination, dedication are pushing us to give it all every weekend. Our commitment is not so much for the win at the end but to get the adrenaline of giving our maximum… Or should I say “optimum”
After 5 hours in Chillan hospital, a scanner of the head, neck and Back, I was standing in a waiting room with a strong back pain.
I broke so many bones that I can almost do diagnostic myself…
The day before when I kept on riding after the crash I new that ribs or apophyses (wings on the side of the vertebrae) were broken. I felt the cracked during the crash. But there is not so much you can do for this and accept the pain. As anyway it cannot really get worst.
But the next morning, the pain was more centralized along the vertebrae and this is the main reason why I did not keep on riding for the race and the points.
I am standing there and could see nurses and the doc coming at me a little panic. In their slowest Spanish for me to understand , They are telling me that I should not move.
The 8th dorsal vertebrae is badly broken at 1.2mm of the spine and where the nerves connecting all legs movements are.
I am starting to redo the all film, how much I pushed in the pain the next day and how much risks I took without realizing the consequences…
I am now laying down with my back all stabilized and realizing how lucky I am…
Lucky to walk, lucky to soon ride and Damn how good was time here in Chile, damn how good was the drifts in the sand at the beginning of that stage …
I am a lucky men, but that was a close call !
