Modern Adventure Asks for Privacy as Ezra Caudell Continues Medical Care After Crash

Modern Adventure Pro Cycling has asked for privacy for Ezra Caudell and his family as the 19-year-old American continues to receive medical care following his crash at Sunday’s Philadelphia Cycling Classic.

The team issued a new statement Friday a day after Belgian racer Milan Menten, who also went down in the crash, provided the first eyewitness account of the incident during the men’s race.

Modern Adventure did not provide any further medical details or confirm information reported by Menten. The team previously said Caudell remained hospitalized with multi-system trauma.

“At present, Ezra continues to be supported by medical professionals with his family by his side,” the team said Friday.

“Further updates on his condition will be communicated by the team, in accordance with the wishes of the Caudell family, in due course. Until then, we respectfully ask that they be allowed the privacy and space they need at this difficult time, and to respect that we will share information only when, and if, it is appropriate to do so.”

Menten told Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws that the crash happened as the pair attempted to bridge to the breakaway about midway through Sunday’s race.

“About halfway through the race, I wanted to jump to the leading group together with Ezra. We came within 10 meters of the last rider when he looked back to see how big our lead over the peloton was,” Menten told HLN.

“Unfortunately, Ezra lost his balance because of this and ended up with his front wheel against the curb or in a manhole. His front wheel broke and he flew full force into a lamppost. He took me down with him.”

Menten, who races with Lotto Intermarché, said he immediately recognized the severity of Caudell’s injuries.

“I was in a lot of pain myself, but I saw immediately that it was serious: he just wasn’t moving anymore. It took a long time for help to arrive, because there were hardly any fans on that stretch,” the Belgian said.

“Suddenly, a woman approached us after all. She was a doctor and was able to move him safely. It was not until much later that we were taken to the hospital by ambulance.”

Team reaches out to Belgian rider

In a statement issued after the race, Philadelphia mayor Cherelle L. Parker said city first responders and on-site medical personnel responded immediately. She later visited the hospital with members of her team.

Menten sustained whiplash and ligament damage but said witnessing the crash had deeply affected him.

“It is the first time I have experienced something like this up close,” he told HLN. “I plan to go to a mental coach to talk about this.”

Modern Adventure said it had contacted Menten to offer its support and recognized “the difficult circumstances we now share surrounding this incident.”

“We will continue to navigate this situation together, along with Ezra’s family, teammates and friends, supporting one another as we do so,” the team said.

Caudell is in his rookie season as one of the leading young prospects in the U.S. peloton.

The Georgia resident turned professional with George Hincapie’s Modern Adventure Pro Cycling team this year. He raced Paris-Roubaix as the youngest rider in the field and finished seventh in the elite U.S. national road race in June.

The team also said a friend close to the Caudell family has established a GoFundMe to provide support. More information is available here.

Modern Adventure said it would provide further updates in accordance with the Caudell family’s wishes and asked that the family be given privacy and space.