Lotto Soudal riders struck by car on training ride

Cycling team Lotto Soudal confirmed two of their riders were hit by a car while training in Spain on Friday.

Thomas De Gendt and Gert Dockx were the men involved in the accident, although they both escaped life-threatening injuries.

"@DeGendtThomas and Gert Dockx were hit by a car during a training ride in Spain. They have no life threatening injuries," the team tweeted.

"The first examinations have been done, they will undergo further tests in Belgium."

In a subsequent statement on Lotto Soudal's website, De Gendt said: "I mainly have a sore neck, back, wrist and fingers. I think that thanks to our helmet we don’t have a head injury.

"I hope I don't have any severe fractures, but further tests are needed to conclude that. Our bikes are broken, but we were lucky after all, it could have been much worse."

Dockx added: "We were riding next to each other, Thomas on the left and I on the right. The car came from the right and appeared to be stopping. In a fraction of a second I thought the front of the car was quite far on the main road, but before we realised we got hit by the car.

"Because the car came from the right especially my right leg was hit by the bumper. I can lean on the leg, but walking is difficult. I hope I don't have any fractures."

Last month, six Giant Alpecin riders were hit by a car, leaving them all hospitalised and John Degenkolb with serious damage to his hand.