Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

US Secretary of State John Kerry airlifted to hospital after French Alps cycling crash

Kerry has been seen riding regularly over the border in Switzerland during Iran nuclear talks in Lausanne

The US Secretary of State, John Kerry, has been airlifted to hospital after a bike crash in the French Alps, but his condition is believed to be stable.

Kerry was flown to Geneva University Hospital by helicopter with a leg injury after the incident in the Haute-Savoie region, according to the Independent.

The newspaper reports Kerry did not lose consciousness following the crash near Scionzier in the French Alps, and was being accompanied by a motorcade that included paramedics and a doctor.

The Secretary of State has been in Switzerland for Iran nuclear talks in Lausanne, which are expected to last for another month. A keen cyclist Kerry, 71, was spotted on his bike in Switzerland in March during the talks, when he suffered mechanical problems on his 10-year-old road bike and received a police escort to a local bike shop.

He was spotted later in the month in a Lausanne bike shop with further mechanical issues, both apparently related to the gear shifter mechanism.

It hasn't been confirmed whether or not talks will be delayed by the accident.

Laura Laker is a freelance journalist with more than a decade’s experience covering cycling, walking and wheeling (and other means of transport). Beginning her career with road.cc, Laura has also written for national and specialist titles of all stripes. One part of the popular Streets Ahead podcast, she sometimes appears as a talking head on TV and radio, and in real life at conferences and festivals. She is also the author of Potholes and Pavements: a Bumpy Ride on Britain’s National Cycle Network.

Add new comment

10 comments

Avatar
ChrisW | 9 years ago
0 likes

I wish all the best for Mr. Kerry to have a speedy recovery. I'm the person who made the Facebook post linked to in this article about his visit to our bike shop in Lausanne, Switzerland. Just to clarify one misunderstanding - it was the bike of Mr. Kerry's assistant that we worked on in our shop, not that of Mr. Kerry himself. They transport their bikes in the private jet, but it seems that that still isn't enough to avoid the rear derailleur getting knocked out of line in transit. Mr. Kerry just bought some energy bars and chatted about cycling - it seems that he is a regular visitor to the French Alps for riding holidays. He's a really pleasant guy, get well soon!

Avatar
birzzles | 9 years ago
0 likes

Nothing to worry about now the Patriot Act has been suspended.  16

Avatar
oliverjames | 9 years ago
0 likes

Good news that at 71 he's out on a bike.

Avatar
kil0ran | 9 years ago
0 likes

Are we sure the motorcade wasn't Shimano Neutral Service?  24

Avatar
triplettravel | 9 years ago
0 likes

Yes but how is his bike?

Avatar
Kadinkski | 9 years ago
0 likes

I'm too scared of a gaggle of secret service agents smashing my door in at 3am to make a witty comment about this article.

Avatar
Dnnnnnn replied to Kadinkski | 9 years ago
0 likes
Kadinkski wrote:

I'm too scared of a gaggle of secret service agents smashing my door in at 3am to make a witty comment about this article.

But you did have one, right...?  3

Avatar
Cardboard Box replied to Dnnnnnn | 9 years ago
0 likes
Duncann wrote:
Kadinkski wrote:

I'm too scared of a gaggle of secret service agents smashing my door in at 3am to make a witty comment about this article.

But you did have one, right...?  3

Whether you did or didn't, you're right to be scared given the intelligence communities penchant for back doors...  3

Avatar
Cardboard Box | 9 years ago
0 likes

You would have thought one of the six Secret Service agents running alongside him would have taken the hit...

Avatar
tonylen | 9 years ago
0 likes

accompanied by a motorcade that included paramedics and a doctor.

Nice!! Get well soon to him tho

Latest Comments