Funeral director's frightening cycle crash

The noise of Andrew Malcolm's helmet breaking after a Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge crash led fellow riders to believe he had broken his neck.

A spectacular crash during the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge wasn't enough to stop Andrew Malcolm from finishing what he started.

Andrew, 52, who is the director of the Kapiti Coast Funeral Home, in Paraparaumu, was among thousands who took on the gruelling 160km circuit around the great lake on Saturday.

He was understandably nervous as he lined up at the start especially as he was more accustomed to short distance not endurance cycling and because it was his first time at the event.

The nerves soon disappeared as the challenge got underway, in fact he was thoroughly enjoying it as he powered through the rolling hills, caught up with friends in groups ahead, knocked off Kuratau Hill and admired lake views.

But disaster struck at about the 105km mark, in Turangi, when among a group of four, while going a constant 35kmh, he rode over a narrow bridge and looked down at his cycle computer for a speed check.

Some loose gravel led to a tyre touch with the rider in front before Andrew "flipped dramatically into the air and crashed hard onto the road".

His new helmet cracked and he took the impact on the left side his body.

"My helmet absolutely saved my life."

Various riders came to his aid and offered assistance.

Despite being worse for wear, and with only about 50km to go and the fact his bike hadn't suffered mechanically, he decided to soldier on.

"I rode with one hand and asked the others to keep going as I wanted them to do well.

"I struggled with one arm and a battered and bruised left side but made it to the next rest stop.

"There was no first aid at the rest stop but a rugby coach had some strapping tape so I asked him to strap my hand, which I couldn't close, in the hold position so I could hold the handle bars.

"Then with adrenalin pumping off I went and finished the ride in a pretty good time [6h 49m 43s]."

After finishing he went to hospital where a check showed no sign of broken bones.

"The doctor said being on the older side of 50 usually meant lots of broken bones with that type of crash, but amazingly I survived, finished the race and live to tell the tale."