A Stirling area cycling champion left with a broken pelvis after being knocked from her bike in a hit-and-run has thanked those who rushed to her aid.
Time trial specialist Christina Mackenzie was struck by an SUV-type car towing a farming trailer on a busy stretch of road near Kippen while on a training ride this week.
The driver of the vehicle didn’t stop and police have launched an investigation.
The incident occurred on Tuesday at around 5pm on the B822 – at the Kippen roundabout.
Christina – a member of Stirling Bike Club – was out on a training ride in preparation for two races this weekend – the women’s veterans national championships and Tour of the Trossachs.
The 45-year-old said she was approaching the roundabout from the direction of Stirling and indicated to turn right with her arm and moved to the right hand side of the carriageway. It was at that point that a vehicle, believed to have been an SUV-type car, came up on her right side, she said, colliding with her before the trailer it was towing also hit her, knocking her onto the ground.
Speaking from her hospital bed at Forth Valley Royal, Christina, from Cambusbarron, detailed the incident which she described as every cyclist’s worst nightmare. She said: “I know the roads very well, I cycle along them all the time.
Click here for more news and sport from the Stirling area.
“I was approaching the roundabout and I was aware the vehicle was behind me, and then it just came up on my inside and the front of the car hit me on the right side of my body. Then the trailer came and that just wiped me out.”
As Christina lay by the roadside in agony for around half an hour waiting for an ambulance, with what was later diagnosed as a double fracture to her pelvis, the car sped away, failing to stop to check on the rider and exchanging details.
Christina was this week left waiting to see if surgeons want to operate to fix the injury.
On Thursday afternoon, she shared an updated with her social media followers. She posted on Twitter: "It’s a huge comfort and overwhelmingly all the kind words of support.
"Nearly 48 hours after the incident, I am still in excruciating pain and have no mobility whatsoever."
She added: "Everyday tasks have become my new challenge.
"After consultation with orthopaedics, I can avoid surgery and now awaiting an assessment from the physio to discuss my recovery. One day at a time."
She said she was wearing high visibility clothing and her bicycle had a light on it at the time of the collision and the incident happened in broad daylight.
Fortunately for Christina, one of the vehicles following behind was being driven by a nurse who was able to provide assistance until the ambulance arrived.
Christina added: “There were so many nice people who were talking to me and keeping me warm whilst I lay there.”
A friend, who was cycling with her at the time, said: “The following motorists and a bus driver stopped and rendered excellent assistance to Christina before the emergency services arrived.”
In a Facebook post, they said: “She’s currently in hospital having sustained a broken pelvis, amongst other injuries. The driver of the vehicle had attempted to undertake her, with the vehicle initially striking her before the trailer wiped her out completely.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were called around 5.05pm on Tuesday, September 27, to a report of a crash involving a cyclist and a car towing a trailer which failed to stop on the B822 at the Kippen roundabout, Stirling.
“The cyclist, a 45-year-old woman, was taken to Forth Valley Royal Hospital for treatment.
“Enquiries are ongoing to trace the driver and anyone with information that could help, including dash-cam footage, is asked to contact Police Scotland.”
Anyone with information should contact police on 101, quoting incident number 2444 of Tuesday, September 27.
Christina holds the LEJOG and NC500 world records and is the national 12 hour time trial holder, among a long list of other achievements.
In May this year, we told how Christina was on the roads again for a second gruelling effort across the north of Scotland. She made history last July when she completed the 839-mile cross-country journey from Land’s End to John o’Groats in 51 hours, five minutes and 27 seconds.
However, after that massive achievement, the Cambusbarron cyclist put another record in her sights – aiming to become the fastest woman in history to cycle the scenic North Coast 500 route, which she achieved.
