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'Indiana Jones' cyclist survives being dragged under lorry for half a kilometre

Ladislav Cumpelik held onto brake line after he ended up underneath truck on his commute

A cyclist in Canada has spoken of how he was dragged beneath an articulated lorry for half a kilometre, holding onto its brake line, in an incident likened to a scene from an Indiana Jones movie.

Ladislav Cumpelik of Saanich, British Columbia, sustained cuts, bruises and broken ribs in the incident yesterday, but a police officer says it is a “miracle” he survived his ordeal, reports CBC, which likened the incident to a scene from an Indiana Jones movie.

– Video: Russian cyclists in very lucky escape as lorries collide

The cyclist was riding down a steep hill on his way to work when an articulated lorry with a flatbed trailer pulled out in front of him. The 37-year-old braked hard but ended up sliding underneath the lorry.

He said: "My front tyre went from underneath me, I started skidding on my back and behind, and I noticed I didn't have enough speed to go underneath the truck and through to the other side."

There was only one thing he could do: "I grabbed on to his brake line and held on tight and started screaming.

"A lot of stuff was going through my brain,” he said. “Is this my last journey? And I was just screaming at the top of my lungs ... I had a death grip on."

According to police, after dragging the cyclist for around half a kilometre at a speed of 50 kilometres an hour, the lorry stopped when a driver who had seen what had happened pulled up alongside it, shouting and beeping his horn.

Police Constable Paul Cain said: "I've been doing this job for over 27 years and that was the first time I have ever seen anything like that.”

Mr Cumpelik, who is recovering from his injuries in hospital, added: "It was a thrill ride, I'm glad I didn't have to pay for it. It was certainly an interesting journey. But I don't wish it on anybody."

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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3 comments

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Airzound | 9 years ago
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Was he wearing a helmet?

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hectorhtaylor | 9 years ago
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Nibali - are you watching... this is a pro at work.

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3mkru73 replied to hectorhtaylor | 9 years ago
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Hahaha, nice bit of satire there sir.

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