Elinor Barker 'relieved' to be training again after being hit by driver

Olympic champion Elinor Barker has spoken of her 'relief' at being able to train again after being hit by a driver while out riding last week.

The 26-year-old urged motorists to slow down and check for cyclists, pointing out  'waiting two seconds won't hurt you, not waiting might hurt somebody else'. 

She said that immediately after the crash she was fearful that after five years of training her chance to compete at the Tokyo Olympics could have been ruined by an impatient driver. 

Posting on Instagram, Barker said:  "Feeling pretty relieved to be back to normal training today after getting hit by a car while out training last week.

"A driver didn’t stop at the roundabout (and didn’t even stop to see if I was ok) and went straight into me. 

"I’m aware that I’m so lucky it wasn’t worse, minor damage done and I had less than a week out of training.

"But also feeling pretty unlucky that after almost 5 years of training for the Olympics, I have to share the road with somebody who could easily have ended it all because they couldn’t wait 5 seconds.

"I’m probably preaching to the choir here, as I guess most of my followers will be cyclists and aware of all of this.

"But seriously, waiting TWO SECONDS to check for a cyclist won’t hurt you. Not waiting might hurt somebody else."

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Elinor Barker (@elinorbarker)

At the Rio Olympics in 2016 Barker won gold in the women's team pursuit alongside Laura Kenny, Joanna Rowsell-Shand and Katie Archibald.

She is also a two-time world and six-time European champion in the team pursuit, as well as a two-time world champion in the points race and scratch race.