Greg Minnaar Fractures 3 Vertebrae at the Val di Sole World Cup

Sep 4, 2022
by Ed Spratt  
Greg Minnaar

After missing finals Greg Minnaar has shared on social media that he has fractured three vertebrae.

Following a horrible crash in practice, Greg Minnaar was taken to hospital in a helicopter before having a series of tests. While not all the results are in from the injuries Greg has shared that he has three fractured vertebrae. Luckily they are all stable but he will be in a neck brace for the next few months.


bigquotesNot quite how I pictured wrapping up the season but s*it happens.

Pretty horrible crash in practice resulted in a quick helicopter ride to hospital and a scary couple of hours figuring out what the damage was. Still getting a couple of results back, but what we know is that I have three fractured vertebrae. The good news is that they are stable, the bad news is I’m in a neck brace for the next three months.

Gutted to not have been able to race the final race but I’m pretty stoked to have ended up 10th in the overall and still be protected for 2023.

Thanks for all the kind messages from everyone and I’ll keep you updated as and when I know more.— Greg Minnaar

We wish Greg all the best with his recovery and hope he is back on a bike soon.

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Posted In:
Racing and Events DH Racing Injuries World Cup DH Greg Minnaar Val Di Sole World Cup Dh 2022


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87 Comments
  • 129 0
 Hope the GOAT heals up well. I heard he’s looking to at least keep racing until next years Worlds at Fort Bill. Be a shame if he had to end such an illustrious carreer due to an injury.
  • 41 0
 Greg has been a staple on the WC scene since I began to follow racing as a kid. Everyone has to retire one day but I sure hope we get to enjoy watching him race for years to come. The WC circuit wont be the same whenever he eventually decides to retire from racing. Hope for a speedy and full recovery!
  • 58 6
 Bah, he'll recover to come back to win World's in 2024 and he will retire so no one wears the stripes in 2025 as a middle finger to the UCI. That is what a GOAT do.
  • 5 3
 Hope the GOAT heals up well. I own an autograph from Les Gêts 1996 from him Smile

Unfortunately googling "francois gachet downhill chateau d'oex" reminds us in DH this kind of retirement ever happened... even if you have ever worn the rainbow jersey... why would it be a "shame"...

My guess : better retired injuried on a big crash ＼(〇_ｏ)／ than... 2nd !
  • 85 0
 The fact that this man still ended up in 10th overall is incredibly impressive. This sport can just be so brutal sometimes... hope he doesn't have any weird complications. Long live the GOAT!
  • 2 0
 This year a few riders won the series even if (or as) they missed one round. But yeah, mighty impressive how well this man in still doing at the sharp end of racing. More than anything, I just wish he makes a full recovery. The "off season" is long this year so I trust he'll be back super fit and prepared at the next WC round, but of course he also just deserved some healthy time at home (where spring is around the corner).
  • 25 0
 Get better soon the GOAT!

It was a crazy weekend for the Syndicate with Laurie smashing his wrist. Go Pro just upload Jackson's race run where he lost it in the last corner and snapped his handlebar... He was on a heater.

youtu.be/qWEcPEEstP8
  • 34 30
 lol carbon bars
  • 9 31
flag pisgahgnar FL (Sep 4, 2022 at 4:54) (Below Threshold)
 Sam Hill corner is now the Hill/Goldstone corner.
  • 16 8
 Wonder if Burgtec now gonna get the hate Enve get - Jackson not exactly a burly built dude
  • 52 3
 @tomo12377: a small dude hitting the deck at 60km/h is not exactly component friendly either.
  • 6 14
flag tomo12377 FL (Sep 4, 2022 at 5:23) (Below Threshold)
 @Muckal: looked to me like it broke then he crashed but hard to tell from a GoPro angle
  • 13 0
 @pisgahgnar: Got to be up by 8 seconds to take the tittle.
  • 18 0
 @tomo12377: Nah, he clearly lost the front tire on the loose gravel, just like Henry Kerr on the next turn. The bar broke when he hit the deck.
  • 3 0
 @Drims: think so, too
  • 14 9
 @tomo12377: Enve sucked all around. The product. The warranty. The service. They may have gotten the ship steered in the right direction as of late, but I don’t think you’ll find many aggressive riders choosing them.

Burgtec makes great components all around. I think carbon bars have their place, not sure it’s supposed to be in brutal wcdh.
  • 3 0
 Aw man. It seems so easy to get complacent once you're basically done your run and you hit loose gravel/dirt in flat parts of turns. We've seen this exact scenario play out a bunch of times. Happens to the best.
  • 2 2
 @leviatanouroboro: have had two customer instances of broken burgtec bars, while riding. One carbon and one Alloy. Thankfully both happened while pedalling home after a ride. But pretty concerning. Two friends have also had the one up bars fail, now those ones are a chicken and the egg scenario. There was a crash and the bar was broken but unsure if they broke causing the crash, or if it was a result of the crash.
  • 8 13
flag Yody (Sep 4, 2022 at 12:04) (Below Threshold)
 @leviatanouroboro:
Enve bars are some of the best in industry. If enve isn't good enough for someone go to aluminum (which can also snap).
  • 3 4
 @Yody: my emphasis was on their wheels during the Paul Aston review days.
  • 8 11
 @leviatanouroboro: lol stand up for a decent mtn company get down voted. My bad my bad pinkbike. Ill make sure I throw some hate out there next time instead
  • 8 4
 @Yody: the problem is Enve isnt that good lol.
  • 2 0
 @bonfire: Weird, i hadnt seen a oneup bar break untill the other day, but everything breaks.
Ive been on oneup bars since the release and still have the originals on my wall.
  • 1 0
 @leviatanouroboro: how does the overall winner do it with such a passive attitude and 31.8 M9s? Tho I think I saw him on Synthesis DH rims this year
  • 2 0
 @leviatanouroboro: lolll utter nonsense.
  • 18 0
 Shit, that's horrible news. Sounds like he has full neurology and hopefully it's just a case of taking it easy until things stitch back together. There's never a good time for these things to happen, but better the last race of the season than the first.
I also fractured 3 vertebrae in a crash (a lot of years ago now). If a mere mortal like me can recover and get back on the bike, for sure Greg can. Heal up soon Greg.
  • 22 2
 Dudes so hard I feel sorry for the rocks he destroyed on the way down.......
  • 49 1
 They will be grains of sand on a beach in france before Greg retires.
  • 9 3
 @inside-plus: Comment gold
  • 5 1
 @inside-plus: good one but perhaps these end up in the adriactic sea in the piss pool of Venezia ; ).
  • 3 0
 @Lagr1980: Don't be too harsh for a colleague from down under, he has a moral right to make such mistakes as a compensation for all those people who cannot distinguish Austria from Australia Wink (Yeah, I know New Zealand is not exactly Australia Wink )
  • 13 1
 That crash was massive- want the GOAT back well.as needs to retire on his own terms rather than an injury made that decision.

I know kneck braces are now out of ‘fashion’ but would have been interesting to see if it would have made any difference to the outcome.
  • 5 1
 Very true. For many years I rode without one but for the past 2 seasons I've been wearing a Leatt... have yet to "test" it out (and I hope I don't have to)
  • 4 0
 Hard to say as that happens so fast but it appears as if compression was also a huge issue on the impact and I don’t think the brace would have helped too much on that. But we don’t know if they don’t wear them.
  • 16 0
 It’s refreshing to see Brage Vestavik with a neck brace when shredding
  • 4 0
 It's a fair point. It's very surprising how few riders wear them, espeically riders with previous spinal injuries such as Cathro and Dan Atherton. Having broke C4, C5 and T1 I don't think I'll ever ride my DH bike again without my Leatt brace.
  • 12 0
 @kiisseli: Correction: the neck brace wears Brage for protection.
  • 11 0
 As a 32 year old man, I’ve always been inspired by Minnaars longevity. It gives me confidence and drive knowing that there is a canyon between where I am currently, and where the potential for performance is as I age. Long live the GOAT
  • 1 0
 Budddyyyy
  • 11 0
 I was there and The fact that he rode down the rest of the mountain after this blows my mind. I saw him coming down the last bit of the hill slow and knew it was bad but didn’t realize how bad it actually was till now.
  • 10 0
 Cécile Ravanel knows a lot about this... and stopped her career right after. Hope Greg is gonna keep on racing, even at past 40yo he might think about retirement...
Best healing vibes Mister Minnaar.
  • 11 0
 What a bummer. Dude is a hero to everyone (especially us 40+ers) Heal up soon!
  • 10 1
 I look and see a disappearance of leatt braces in DH and then see stuff like this. Makes me wonder would it have helped.
  • 7 0
 This is horrendous news to wake up to! Get well Greg
  • 4 1
 Man man man, that's a crash you don't see often. Guess he let it all go to see how fast you can really go.. The sole reason I checked the whole live stream was to see the G.O.A.T. making that course look like a walk in the park. Kinda flabbergasted once I heard he actually had an incident in training. Glad Vergier did stepped up to the table, but then again, Minnaar would have rode that stylish times 2. Can't wait to see you back on the bike and schooling them youngsters!
  • 6 0
 He’ll be back. Won world championships in 03 and 13. You know he is going to win it in 23 as well!
  • 2 0
 “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”

Hunter S. Thompson
  • 2 0
 Really hope he can come back from the horrific injury. I think he will only come back if he thinks he can still compete in the top 10 or so riders. I met him at a tour about 3 years ago talking about his career brilliant guy.
  • 5 0
 Healing Vibes your Way GOAT!!!
  • 4 0
 Greg, horrible news and wishing you all the very best for a smooth and speedy recovery. Your #1 fan
  • 1 0
 Greg Minnaar is still at the very top end of DH. Why would he retire because he gets an injury? Because he is 40?
If Laurie Greenland had done the same would people expect him to retire?
If Greg can recover fully he should keep going as long as he feels competitive. Retirement should only come when you are no longer whooping most of the field on a regular basis.
  • 4 1
 No retreat, no surrender! Forza Minnaar!
  • 3 0
 Dang! All the best and good and speedy recovery! Get well soon, Greg!
  • 3 0
 Ohhh that's a tough one. All healing vibes to the GOAT!
  • 1 0
 Seems like so many riders have been suffering from back and other injuries this season. Greg, hoping you heal well and get outta that brace quickly!
  • 2 0
 Heal up! Bummer to see after such an impressive season...but sounds like he has more in the tank!!
  • 2 3
 Terrible news, we all love Minnaar and he has proven himself to actually be the GOAT...However at his age and with the thoughts that will always now be swirling in his head. he is most likely done with high level racing and thankful to be walking.. Hope he proves me wrong but on the approach to 40 years of age, things no longer flex or bend, they only break.
  • 2 0
 Val Di Sole took no prisoners. Some brutal accidents across the disciplines.
  • 1 0
 Get well Greg. Listen to your Dr's. Make an informed decision after you graduate from PT. I'd love to see you race again. I would HATE to see you a quadriplegic.
  • 2 0
 all the best and get well soon!!!
  • 2 0
 that looked nasty! heal up greg and waiting to see you rip next year
  • 2 0
 Heal up fast,Greg. You are, after all, the GOAT.
  • 2 0
 Brutal crash… wishing you a speedy recovery
  • 1 0
 Heal up Greg, crashes happen, you got this all day. Goat forever.
  • 2 2
 Wondering when someone might die in a crash, has anyone died from a crash in WC race yet?
  • 4 0
 Not that I am aware of and long may that streak continue.
  • 1 0
 Speedy recovery to the GOAT！
  • 2 0
 GOAT 4ever
  • 2 0
 Heal fast! Heal well!
  • 1 0
 wish you a full and speedy recovery
  • 1 0
 I also had to pull out of VDS. I'll be back next year
  • 1 0
 Fucking brutal crash! Hope he heals up and continues to race!
  • 5 5
 Jacksons crash - Good advert for burgtec bars…..!
Heal up a Greg !
  • 5 0
 Jackson winning the overall is a great ad for Burgtec bars. The fact that they break if you crash while going really fast is not surprising.
  • 1 0
 Heal up fast GOAT
  • 1 0
 Bliksem!! Heal up GOAT.
  • 2 2
 Would necklace helped in this case ?
  • 7 0
 @dado015: maybe if it was a st christopher?
  • 3 0
 2 chains are the minimum
  • 1 0
 @FaahkEet: you must be very religious then ……………….!?!?
  • 2 0
 @dado015: nah, just joking since your post said necklace instead of neckbrace.
  • 1 1
 Instead than correcting the typo … you joke, that’s cool @FaahkEet:
  • 1 0
 @dado015: Thicken yer hide mate, this is the world-famous PB comment section.
  • 1 0
 healing vibes
  • 1 3
 He'll be back next year and taking the overall I bet
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