A fundraising campaign (opens in a new tab) for Amy Pieters was launched on Sunday at the Dutch National Championships.

Racing has taken on added meaning this year, as 12 months after her first national title, the SD Worx rider is still recovering from serious injuries sustained in an accident six months ago.

As a result, crowdfunding was opened at the start of the women’s road race, which aims to help provide the support Pieters needs to recover from severe brain damage.

The Dutch rider crashed after a collision during a national track team training on December 23 in Calpe, Spain. She lost consciousness after the fall and was taken by air ambulance to a hospital in Alicante.

She underwent surgery to relieve the pressure on her brain, before being placed in an induced coma, which was later prolonged. Doctors then transferred Pieters to a hospital in the Netherlands in January, where she remained under observation for months.

During this time, she underwent neurological rehabilitation treatment.

The program, titled “Amy Pieters: Champion of Hearts”, was set up “to give Amy as many opportunities as possible to bring out the best in herself”.

An Instagram post from her team read: “Not all treatments Amy may undergo, both in the Netherlands and abroad, are reimbursed. Modifications and tools are very expensive.

“We want to give Amy as many opportunities as possible to get the most out of herself.

“A fund has been established for Amy so that she can, in part through donations, take advantage of every opportunity available to her. All donations fully benefit Amy’s recovery and by Amy.”

Last week, Dutch broadcaster NOS interviewed her father, who said there was ‘progress but she can’t talk and can’t move her right arm and leg’.

Pieters spends the weekends at home before returning to a recovery center in the Netherlands during the week.

SD Worx’s post said: “Our rider Amy Pieters had an unfortunate accident just before Christmas during cycling training with the Dutch national team in Spain. She suffered severe brain damage and fell into a coma. In Spain, she was immediately operated on and we feared for her life. The first few weeks were very difficult for her and her loved ones. But luckily Amy is still here!

“We are now a few months away and Amy has regained consciousness. Her further recovery is still very uncertain. She is working hard on her rehabilitation. Amy cannot speak at the moment, she also still has a loss on her right side of his body, which makes recovery difficult and difficult.”

“No matter how difficult the treatments and how difficult the situation is right now, Amy lives by her own motto #smile to enjoy and smiles at life again,” he continued. “It is not yet possible to predict how long her recovery will take or how far she may go.

“What we do know is that Amy is a sportswoman at heart. She is combative, positive and never gives up. She has always been committed and worked hard to achieve her goals. Both individually and as a team. as a team. Her efforts and struggle now serve a much bigger purpose, and she cannot do it alone.”

His SD Worx teammates also posted messages on social media. An image of Chantal van den Broek Blaak, Lonneke Uneken and Demi Vollering kissing before the race accompanied the text.

Riejanne Markus (Jumbo-Visma) succeeded Pieters as Dutch road champion, beating Shirin van Anrooij (Trek-Segafredo) in the final.

“The crowdfunding campaign announcement for Amy Pieters at first was an emotional moment, but then the switch had to be flipped,” Markus said. LIT at the arrival. “I think a lot of Pieters. I hope she’s proud of me.

Christine Majerus, Pieters’ teammate, wrote: “Amy has many qualities, but perhaps the one I appreciate the most during all these years together on the road is that I could always count on she. Of course as a teammate. leader we can always be sure that she is there for the victory but also a rider always ready to help others and to sacrifice herself for the good of the team.

“But most importantly as an always smiling friend who listens, understands and helps whenever possible. Amy is the kind of friend everyone should have.”

Donations can be made on AmyPieters.nl. (opens in a new tab)