Mountain-biker seriously injured after Hawke's Bay crash

The Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter after it returned with the injured mountainbiker on Wednesday night. Photo / Supplied

A man in his 40s is in a serious condition after being in intensive care following a mountain bike crash on a trail near Eskdale.

A Hawke's Bay District Health Board spokeswoman said the injured biker was in a serious condition on Thursday evening, after the crash on Wednesday evening.

Previously, he was in a critical condition.

The man was transported to Hawke's Bay Hospital via rescue helicopter after the incident at the Eskdale MTB Park at 5.50pm.

Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter general manager Ian Wilmot said his staff understood the man came off his bike on the Mint Trail and hit a tree.

He said the inaccessible location meant a winch was used to lower a paramedic down with a stretcher.

Wilmot said they provided initial treatment and instant pain relief to the mountainbiker before the paramedic and man were winched up into the helicopter together.

Hawke's Bay Mountain Bike Club Inc. chairman Scott Richardson, said the club has had a few bikers airlifted over the years, and it is never good.

"Our sport, to be honest, it does come with an element of risk," Richardson said

"Our mantra is to ride at your own level, but accidents happen and we all have our moments when we're in the saddle."