‘I’m Going to Die’: Damien Touzé Recounts Life-Threatening Tour of Oman Crash

In the high-stakes world of professional cycling, the line between a routine race and a life-altering tragedy is often as thin as a safety rail. For Cofidis rider Damien Touzé, that line was crossed on February 10, 2026, during the fourth stage of the Tour of Oman. In a harrowing new account, the 29-year-traditional has detailed the moments he believed his life was ending, describing a medical ordeal that nearly cost him everything.

The Damien Touzé Tour of Oman crash began with a sudden loss of balance after the rider struck a light sensor. The mistake sent him hurtling into a safety rail at nearly 60 km/h, resulting in a series of devastating injuries. While the immediate trauma was visible, the most dangerous threats were hidden beneath the surface.

A Descent Into Critical Condition

Touzé suffered a catastrophic array of injuries, including fractures to his pelvis and femur, as well as ligament damage in his knee. However, the most critical issues—a ruptured spleen and a perforated intestine—were initially missed by medical staff. Touzé describes a terrifying period where his health rapidly deteriorated while the cause remained unknown.

Initial treatment at the local facility focused almost exclusively on his visible wounds. “They stitched my thigh, but that was it,” Touzé recalled. He noted that the facility lacked the necessary equipment to conduct the scans that would have revealed his internal abdominal trauma. As the hours passed, Touzé felt himself “fading,” experiencing a spiking fever and a persistently elevated heart rate.

The psychological toll was immediate. Shortly after the impact, Touzé placed a call to his partner with a devastating message: “I’m going to die. Tell our son I love him.”

Medical Failures and a Race Against Time

The rider’s experience within the Omani healthcare system was, by his account, grim. Touzé described being placed in a level of care that felt inadequate and unsanitary, stating that he was positioned near bins with flies everywhere. He remarked that the environment did not feel like a place where recovery was possible.

The turning point came through the persistence of a Cofidis team doctor who remained by his side. Distrusting the initial assessment, the doctor suspected further complications and warned Touzé bluntly that he might not wake up. Faced with this reality, Touzé called his partner a second time to say goodbye.

A subsequent transfer to another hospital finally revealed the ruptured spleen. The combination of internal bleeding and abdominal trauma created a medical emergency that put his career—and his life—in suspense.

The Physical and Emotional Toll

The recovery process has been grueling. Touzé reported a significant physical decline during the crisis, including a weight loss of 10 kg. For a professional athlete, such a loss of mass, coupled with pelvic and femur fractures, represents a massive mountain to climb in terms of rehabilitation.

This incident is not Touzé’s first encounter with serious road accidents. The rider, originally from Iville in the Eure department of Normandy, has a history of severe falls, including crashes at the Tour de Pologne in 2020 and the Tour de Burgos in 2022. However, the severity of the Oman incident far exceeds his previous experiences.

For those unfamiliar with the risks of the sport, “polytrauma” refers to the simultaneous occurrence of multiple severe injuries. In Touzé’s case, the combination of skeletal fractures and internal organ failure created a complex clinical picture that required urgent intervention and repatriation.

Looking Toward the Future

Despite the trauma, Touzé has expressed a desire to return to the sport. His journey from a hospital bed in Oman to the rehabilitation phase marks one of the most challenging periods of his professional life. The focus now remains on his physical reconstruction and determining the extent to which he can return to competitive racing.

The Cofidis team has provided updates on the rider, acknowledging that “bad luck struck” during the event. As Touzé works through his recovery, the cycling community remains attentive to his progress.

The next confirmed step in Touzé’s journey is his ongoing rehabilitation and recovery process as he evaluates the possibility of returning to his bike.

Do you think professional cycling needs stricter medical protocols for races held in regions with limited trauma facilities? Share your thoughts in the comments below.