Josu Etxeberria, a Navarrese professional cyclist riding for Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, aged 23, sustained serious injuries in a training crash on Wednesday. The incident occurred on the NA-4120 highway at approximately 13:24, around the 4.3 kilometer mark near Zia terminal in Iza, Navarre. The driver, a resident of Berrioplano, exited the vehicle unharmed.
The rider, a native of Iturmendi, was transported to the University Hospital of Navarra where he was placed in the intensive care unit. Medical reports indicate he has fractures to the facial area as well as to the clavicle and sternum. The medical team noted that he remained conscious and retained mobility in his limbs throughout treatment.
News updates confirmed that Etxeberria was undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit at Navarre Hospital and that he remained conscious, with movement in his extremities. The medical staff were actively managing his condition as relatives and the team awaited further assessments.
A medical response included advanced life support from an on-duty ambulance crew, a medical helicopter that transported him to the University Hospital of Navarra, and local police assisted with the scene and the initial investigations conducted by the Attestation unit.
In a separate incident, Etxeberria previously endured a severe fall during the 2022 Tour de France stages, suffering multiple vertebral fractures and requiring months of recovery. This season marked his fifth year with the green and white kit, and he had become a key contributor to the squad, highlighted by a top-four finish in a stage of the same Tour de France event.
Earlier, at 18:01 in Gazólaz (Cizur), another accident was reported on the A-12 highway toward Pamplona near kilometer 7.2. The 41-year-old driver involved was transported to the University Hospital of Navarra for evaluation to rule out injuries. Fire crews from Cordovilla, along with a basic life support ambulance and Foral Police, attended the scene to manage the incident and ensure safety on the highway.