Sad news emerged today that the woman who was hit by Johan Vansummeren (Garmin-Sharp) earlier this year in the Tour of Flanders remains paralysed. It was reported in HLN.BE that Marie-Claire Moreels (66) will remain in a wheelchair for the rest of her life as the right side of her body is paralysed. She has also lost the ability to speak as a result of the accident.
Marie-Claire had undergone two operations on her brain shortly after the accident. She was a big cycling fan and was said to have led a very active life prior to the accident. She now needs round-the-clock help, and her husband is struggling financially to cope. There has been no insurance settlement as it hasn’t been determined who is responsible for the accident. In addition, she has received no disability allowance from the government, as they await the verdict before making a decision.
In the days following the Tour of Flanders, her husband, Philippe Reyntjens told Gazet Van Antwerpen, “We don’t blame Johan Vansummeren. It was an accident. It all happened so fast. He saw Marie-Claire too late.” She had been standing on a traffic island watching the race.
Below is a clip of the accident.
