Just goes to show what can happen in this game. It can even go so very wrong for the best riders in the world!!
While training in Helsinki yesterday, Matti Lehikoinen had an accident that resulted in breaking his back. He went to go off a very small drop off, about 3ft high, when something caught his rear wheel just as his front wheel left the drop. The bike pitched suddenly forward and threw him over the handlebars onto his back. He knew immediately that he had suffered a severe injury, and remained still as his mate called for the ambulance.
Matti was immediately transferred to hospital where a series of scans have confirmed 3 fractured vertabrae. He has movemovent in all limbs and is not feeling any numbness, and so at this point, the prognosis for a full recovery is looking very good.
Sad news. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.