TASMANIAN cyclist Macey Stewart is putting on a brave face despite suffering another serious accident.
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The multiple world champion, who sustained fractures to her skull, a chipped vertebrae and bruising to the brain in a 2012 crash in Canberra and was also hit by a car near her Devonport home last year, spent another night in hospital after crashing on her senior debut in Belgium.
The 19-year-old posted a picture of herself on social media with the message: ‘‘Sometimes cycling isn’t fun.. but hey I’M ALIVE so that’s pretty damn cool.’’
She added: ‘‘I’m all good just had a solid hit to the head.’’
National cycling coach Matt Gilmore said he had spoken to Stewart’s mum and also her ORICA GreenEdge coach, and his predecessor at the Tasmanian Institute of Sport, Gene Bates.
‘‘She hit the deck pretty hard and was knocked unconscious,’’ Gilmore said.
‘‘She has had scans and I got a report from Gene to say that she is OK. She is obviously a bit sore and sorry but she should be fine.
‘‘The way Macey rides she really puts herself in the race and sometimes when you do that things happen. This is her first experience in senior women’s racing and is in a big bunch and down some pretty narrow roads but I’ve seen her have plenty of bingles and she usually bounces back OK.’’
Stewart was competing in the Dwars D’or De Westohek when she crashed and was taken to hospital in Ypres. Her regular Tasmanian teammate Amy Cure finished 49th in the same race
Stewart had earlier finished 36th in the 20-kilometre Omloop van Borsele time trial in Holland which Bates said was an impressive start to her senior career.
‘‘We really weren’t sure what to expect from Macey coming into this event. Obviously it was her first senior race and the first time trial for the season for her.
‘‘Her preparation wasn’t specific for this, it was just a good experience for her.
‘‘She had a good ride, she ran a bit out of legs towards the end. But she had a good showing and she will take a lot out of it.’’
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