Ollie Wood says he felt 'like a crash test dummy' after being headbutted by rival at Paris Olympics
Ollie Wood was headbutted by a Dutch rival at the Paris Olympics on Saturday night
BBC
Ollie Wood says he felt like a 'crash test dummy' after colliding with Dutch rival Jan Willem van Schip during the madison final of the Olympics on Saturday.
The Netherlands were disqualified from the race after Willem van Schip appeared to headbutt Wood during the big event at the veldedrome in Paris.
With 39 laps of the 200-lap race remaining, Wood suffered a fall after his helmet was struck. It is unclear if the coming together was deliberate but the Dutch star has been fined £720 for 'improper conduct and behaviour that endangers another rider .'
Wood, speaking afterwards, revealed he 'felt like a crash test dummy'.
Ollie Wood was headbutted by a Dutch rival at the Paris Olympics on Saturday night
BBC
But he also refused to rip into Willem van Schip, too.
"He hit me so hard. I felt like a crash test dummy," he said. "I will survive. I didn't see anything."
He continued: "It's just a bit different when you get hit from behind - you don't see it coming. There are a lot of people resting and riding at any one time.
"Instead of taking a high line around the track, I thought he'd cut it a bit fine and just ploughed into me.
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"I've not watched it back. I'm trying to catch my breath.
"I have no clue, absolutely no clue. All I know is I got hit really hard from behind by literally the biggest rider on the track.
"Everyone's cognitive functions started to decline rapidly at one given point - you could see there were people having laps of concentration.
"When there are people all over the track, it is inevitable that people are going to collide wheels or whatever.
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"I don't know what I have done but my knee really hurts and my a**e really hurts.
"I feel like I've been rear-ended by a lorry."
After his crash, Wood underwent a concussion assessment trackside. He was eventually able to finish 10th in the event alongside Mark Stewart, who made his Olympic debut after Ethan Hayter was forced to withdraw due to injury.
Sir Chris Hoy, reacting to the incident, said the collision showed just how tough cycling can be.
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Ollie Wood was sent flying after colliding with Dutch rival Jan Willem van Schip at the Paris Olympics
BBC
"It was clearly Van Schip's error there," said the Team GB icon.
"You are trying to skim past the rider and not go too far on the bend but he misjudged it.
"He absolutely whacked him on the head. I would not be surprised if he is concussed from that. He would not be expecting it either. His body would be loose and completely relaxed and then out of nowhere getting a massive hit. I really felt for him there.
"It is literally a millimetre of Lycra and you have a bit of polystyrene on your head and that's it and you are travelling at 40mph plus. It is a tough sport.
Ollie Wood was able to finish 10th at the Paris Olympics
PA
"We were just discussing how often an elite endurance rider crashes, it would be half a dozen times a year.
"Some of them are fine, you slide and you lose some skin but you could break a bone or get a concussion and disrupt your whole season. It is a tough sport."
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