Ironman: Champion gutted over injury

Matt Parsonage winning last year's event.

The Rotorua Half Ironman will be missing its defending champion this year after he was knocked off his bike in a bad crash on Old Taupo Rd.

Matt Parsonage was involved in a collision with a car last Thursday evening while training for the half ironman, being held this weekend. He was cycling north up Old Taupo Rd when it happened.

Parsonage went over his bike and broke the windscreen of the car with his back, before falling on to the pavement and breaking his scapula (shoulder).

"I can't remember anything only the front wheel hitting the car and then [being] in the ambulance with someone standing over me."

Parsonage was taken to hospital with a broken shoulder and cuts and bruises.

While his season is all but over, Parsonage said he realised it could have been much worse, and he was quite lucky. "The helmet pretty much saved my life," he said.

His helmet and $5500 bicycle tell the tale of the crash, which are completely bent and cracked.

Parsonage has been cycling for about five years. He said this was his first serious crash, although he had experienced a few close calls with vehicles in the past.

He urged drivers to be cautious of cyclists on the roads, and always keep an eye out.

Parsonage said in some cases cyclists don't help themselves on the roads and do silly things, making it hard for drivers to get around them.

"But the main thing is most cyclists are good and we keep to the road rules and try and ride as safely as possible so just look out for cyclists."

Parsonage said he would not be able to do any kind of training for a couple of months and was likely to miss out on the entire summer triathlon season.

He said he was gutted he would not be able to defend his title at the Rotorua Half Ironman this Saturday.

"I had entered and was planning to race and hopefully put a good performance in and try and defend the title. But at the moment I can't raise my left arm at all ... I can walk but I won't be able to run, swim or bike for, I'm guessing, a couple of months."

Parsonage said he was not 100 per cent sure how he was going to replace his $5500 racing bike but was working through a couple of options.

Parsonage said the crash would not put him off getting back on his bike.

"It won't put me off riding at all.

"I went down to the intersection the day after the crash and I did not feel any fear, I just felt lucky," he said. "So no it won't put me off riding again in the future."