The 2010 Australian time trial champion Amber Halliday is currently sedated and under observation in hospital after crashing heavily in the Rendition Homes Cup event at Victoria Park.
The 31 year old is thought to have clipped a wheel during the 50 minute race, crashing out approximately third of the way through. She hit her head and lost consciousness, and also has facial injuries.
She was treated by paramedics at the scene, then taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
According to CyclingSA executive manager Max Stevens, time is needed to determine how exactly her condition is.
“Any time it's head or facial injuries there is concern,” he stated, according to the Herald Sun. “We all need to appreciate that it only happened 12 hours ago and we need to go 24 hours before we get a real indication.
“It was a simple accident that has had bad results for Amber, but if anyone can get through this with hope, courage and determination, it's Amber.”
Halliday is a former multiple world champion rower who competed in the Olympics in 2008, then took up cycling in the same year. She immediately thrived, taking the Amy Gillett Scholarship the following year and then landing the Australian TT championship in 2010.
Apart from racing at a high level, she is also a journalist with News Limited and the Sunday Mail.