Bicyclist seriously injured when he crashes head-on into a tractor in West Earl Township

A bicyclist suffered “significant” injury when he crashed head-on into a farm tractor during a bike race Saturday on a rural road in West Earl Township, police said.

The man was transported to Lancaster General Hospital for treatment, township police Sgt. Scott Ruth said. Another cyclist also was involved in the wreck, but did not require medical transport.

The farmer was driving east in the 300 block of Turtle Hill Road shortly after 11:30 a.m., Ruth said.

At a curve in the road, some westbound bicyclists veered into his lane.

"The bicycles hit the farm tractor," he said. “The farmer was in the correct lane and the road was open to the public."

One cyclist crashed nearly head-on into the tractor, Ruth said.

Names of those involved were not released because he said he did not know if family members had been notified of the accident.

The Pro-Am Cycling race event included hundreds of cyclists, Ruth said.

Pro-Am Cycling is a Lancaster-based company that organizes competitive cycling and related events in the Mid-Atlantic area.

The company got approval to hold the race from West Earl Township officials and has held races in the township several times before, Ruth said.

“Unfortunately, it is held on roads that are open to the public,” he said. “Every year we get something of this nature,” referring to downed cyclists or conflicts with vehicular traffic.

Pro-Am spokesman Mike McHale declined comment immediately after the accident, saying he had no details about what happened and no information about the cyclists.

An early radio report said one of the cyclists was not conscious, but Ruth could not immediately confirm that information.

The cyclist was conscious when Ruth talked to him, he said.