Imogen Cotter 'lucky to be alive' after being hit by car while training

Reigning Irish road race champion Imogen Cotter says she feels "lucky to be alive" as she recovers from injuries sustained after being hit by a car while training.

The incident occurred in Spain on Wednesday and the 28-year-old said the vehicle "drove head-on straight into me at high speed" whilst it was overtaking a cyclist.

She required surgery last night after suffering injuries including a fractured kneecap and broken arm.

"Yesterday while out riding, I was hit by a car," Cotter, who is based in Girona, wrote on her Instagram account.

"The car was overtaking a cyclist on the other side of the road and drove head-on straight into me at high speed.

"I feel so lucky to be alive. I was taken by ambulance to hospital, where it appears I fractured my patella and broke my radius, as well as needing quite a few stitches. I had surgery late last night. I'm just so grateful to still be here to write this. It could have been so much worse."

Clare native Cotter rides for the Plantar-Pura team and became Irish senior women's road race champion after securing victory in Wicklow last October.

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