Sir Richard Branson has issued a warning to other cyclists following his recent crash. The Virgin mogul posted earlier this week to reveal that he "took quite a big tumble" while out on a cycling trip.
He shared a picture of the aftermath, saying there was "amazingly nothing broken". Sir Richard, 72, explained that he was cycling with a friend when he hit a pothole and "crashed hard". He explained it left him with a hematoma on his hip and a "nasty" cut elbow.
Posting a picture on Instagram, he said: "Took quite a big tumble while cycling in Virgin Gorda a little while ago! I hit a pothole and crashed hard, resulting in another hematoma on my hip and a nasty cut elbow, but amazingly nothing broken. We were cycling with Alex Wilson, who fell after me, but thankfully he was ok as well. I’m counting myself very lucky, and thankful for keeping myself active and healthy. After all, the brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all!"
Now, Sir Richard has reflected on his experience and shared a tip for other cyclists that he said many didn't know.
He wrote: "A few things I’ve learnt since my cycling accident, thanks to my trainer Kat for the help:
"Elbow and hip body armour is a must. Quite a few people over the years have asked me if I had to wear chainmail when I was knighted. Thankfully I didn’t, and cycling armour is a whole lot less clunky!
"It turns out I’ve been holding the handlebars wrong when going downhill! I was holding my fingers and thumbs on top of the handle, so when I hit the pothole, I bounced right off. Hold your thumb firmly around the handlebar for the best possible grip. I’ve realised that a lot of cyclists (dyspraxic or not) don’t know this, which is why I’m posting about it. "Anyway, time to get back on the bike. I had a wonderful ride today with a bunch of the team on Necker – accident-free!"
No stranger to adventures, Sir Richard is well-known for his escapades - including several world record attempts in his younger years.
