Lukas Nerurkar’s Severe Injuries After Car Crash: Broken Collarbone, Ribs, Sternum & Lung Puncture – Recovery Update

According to a medical update from the team, the 22-year-old British professional will likely be sidelined for six to eight weeks.

The accident occurred while Nerurkar was training at home in England. He had been visiting family following his participation in the British National Championships. The incident required a two-night hospital stay and surgery on his collarbone within the first week of July, according to the team.

Nerurkar described the experience as scary in a statement released by EF Education-EasyPost, noting how easily a vehicle can cause such extensive injuries.

He expressed disappointment over missing scheduled races in Austria and Poland, where he intended to utilize the form he had built during the summer.

“The immediate thing is, obviously, I’m happy it wasn’t worse, and also it’s just generally scary that a car can do that to you so easily. And then the second part is the longer term of missing out on the racing which I was really looking forward to doing. Races like Austria and Poland and just using up a nice bit of summer form, which obviously won’t be happening now.”Lukas Nerurkar via EF Education-EasyPost

Complexity of Collarbone Surgery and Recovery

The surgical procedure for Nerurkar’s collarbone was more complex than a standard fracture repair. He explained that the injury affected the distal part of the bone closest to the shoulder, involving damage to several surrounding ligaments.

Because the surgeons had to perform additional work beyond simply inserting a plate, Nerurkar expects the healing process to take longer than a typical collarbone break. The recovery timeline is further complicated by the need for his fractured sternum and broken rib to heal.

“It’s not just been putting a plate in. So I think that’s going to take a little bit longer than usual and the fact that it’s a broken sternum and the broken rib too, so waiting for them to heal. With a straightforward collarbone fracture, it’s a matter of weeks, but then this time I might have to wait a little bit longer. We’re hopeful that it’s going to be no more than a couple weeks before I can get back out on the turbo.”Lukas Nerurkar via EF Education-EasyPost

Jon Greenwell, the head doctor for EF Education-EasyPost, provided the initial estimate of a six-to-eight-week recovery period. Greenwell noted that the small puncture in Nerurkar’s lung is healing well on its own.

Recurring Injury Struggles for Nerurkar

This accident marks the second time in the 2025-2026 period that Nerurkar’s season has been interrupted by significant injury. Earlier in 2025, he was forced to take time out after suffering a concussion and a broken jaw at Trofeo Laigueglia.

The disruptions contrast with the trajectory Nerurkar had established since joining the team as a 19-year-old. He earned his professional contract after winning a difficult hilly stage at the Giro Next Gen in 2023.

Before the July 2 crash, the third-year professional was showing strong mid-season form. During June, he secured several top-ten finishes, including an eighth-place result at the GP Gippingen.

Nerurkar is currently limited to short walks with his parents and dog as he begins the rehabilitation process.