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Cyclist Shows Off Bruised And Battered Back After Riding Through Hailstorm

Cyclist Shows Off Bruised And Battered Back After Riding Through Hailstorm

Tim Declercq was put through the mill during stage two of the Criterium du Dauphine

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

A cyclist has revealed what is body looks like after riding through a violent hailstorm.

Tim Declercq had just completed stage two of the Criterium du Dauphine in France when he decided to take a photograph of his battered and bruised back.

Posting to his Instagram account, the 31-year-old cyclist revealed the effect the horrendous weather had had on him. Ouch.

Two snaps were shared on his stories, the first with the caption: "As if Le Dauphine was not painful enough for the legs. #hailstones."

But fortunately it appears as though the bruises weren't as bad as they had seemed at first glance, because a couple of hours later the Belgian posted a second photograph of his back.

Tim Declercq showed off his bruised body.
Instagram

And in the pic, the bruises seem to have all but disappeared.

The caption read: "Back is healing up nicely."

But it wasn't just Declercq who suffered during the brutal stage.

Speaking to the media, Israeli cyclist Guy Niv said: "Crazy. The hail was so big. Normally when you have this kind of hailstone you stay home, but we were riding and still had one or two km until the top of the climb."

Tim Declercq showed off his bruises.
Instagram

Adding: "I feel quite bad for the spectators who were on the side of the road, because they were there without any shelter. It was quite painful, actually, I just wanted to finish it and go straight into the bus.

"It was not the best experience for the end of this day."

German rider Nils Politt said he was struck by the hailstones.

He said: "It was really painful. I got one hail here under my right eye and then I just said that this was enough."

Groupama-FDJ directer, Philippe Maudit, posted a clip to his Twitter account which showed a group of riders trying to battle their way through the heavy hail and up the steep hill.

But the harsh weather took its toll on everyone in the race.

Even riders' family, including the stage winner and lead cyclist, Primoz Roglic, whose wife and young child had to seek shelter in the car of a Cycling News reporter while the storm raged.

The podium ceremonies were also cut short after the inflatable roof collapsed as Team Ineos' Egan Bernal (Team Ineos) was being handed the white jersey for best young rider.

Featured Image Credit: Instagram