Cyclists and mountain bikers are accustomed to a hard crash every once in a while. Whether taking a turn too fast or getting caught up on a trail feature, falls are often part of the sport when racing bikes at any level.

Breckenridge’s Nico Konecny has suffered numerous crashes in his young mountain biking career, but the most recent crash he suffered while competing in a mountain biking race in Austria was perhaps the worst Konecny has ever experienced.

As the 2023 USA National Junior Champion in the cross-country discipline, Konecny, 18, was selected to race for Team USA last month in Europe. He never got a chance to cross a finish line, as the devastating crash occurred during the first race of the European trip in Haiming, Austria on May 20 — Konecny’s birthday.

In the Otztaler Mountainbike Festival’s cross-country Olympic junior series race, Konecny was on lap four of five and in the lead when a part of his bike struck something on the race course. 

“I was in the lead with this Swiss guy, his name is Sven (Sommer), and I clipped my handlebars or my pedal,” Konecny said. “I am not exactly sure what happened, but all I remember is diving face first into a pretty large boulder at 15 to 20 miles per hour.”

After plummeting face-first into the rock, Konecny said he miraculously did not lose consciousness, but soon realized that his face had taken the brunt of the fall. 

“It was super quick so I wasn’t able to get any hands out to brace,” Konecny said. “It was kind of a direct face plant into a boulder. I took the blow all to my mouth and jaw area. The pro of that is, I didn’t knock myself out, I didn’t get a concussion, but the con is I took it all to the jaw.” 

Konecny was treated in Austria where it was determined that he had broken his jaw, upper maxilla bone and lost and damaged several teeth. 

Once Konecny’s injuries were properly addressed in Austria, he eventually flew back to the U.S for further care.

“Coming home, it was less about that intensive care and more about the healing process and what it is going to look like,” Konecny said. “With teeth, it is always hard and it is always a super long process. They are super fragile and your mouth is pretty complicated.”

Since being back home, Konecny has faced several challenges, including having several dental procedures performed and a bout with parainfluenza type 2.

It was while Konecny was preparing for a dental procedure that he started to exhibit a low-grade fever and fatigue. Worried that his broken jaw may have become infected, Konecny was rushed by his family to the Denver Children’s Hospital emergency room, where he eventually tested positive for the respiratory tract illness.

Since recovering from the illness, Konecny has resumed needed dental procedures and appointments, but a lot still remains unknown for what will and won’t be necessary to get his teeth looking the way he wants.

“It changes super quickly just because the body is healing,” Konecny said. “At first I needed six root canals and now I don’t need all six and only a few. It is changing, but it is going to be a long process. It will be years until I can get back to my normal smile, but I am just taking it day by day.”

Beyond all the appointments and uncertainty, Konecny has also struggled to navigate how to eat food with an actively healing jaw and several teeth out of place.

“One of my biggest injuries right now are the teeth that are displaced,” Konecny said. “They are out of alignment, so my bite is really weird right now. I have to keep to super, super soft food, lots of liquids and not eat anything super crunchy.”

Battling past doubts and anxiety of falling off his bike again, Konecny recently went on his first bike ride since the accident occurred, allowing the young rider to find some peace of mind after his traumatic injury. 

“The confidence was a little rough coming back, but it comes back quickly,” Konecny said. “You kind of just realize that it is part of the sport. Injuries happen. Mentally, you just have to get through it slowly. I have been taking the time to get back.”

Konecny plans to spend the next few weeks getting any necessary dental procedures done while also making progress in getting comfortable again on the bike. 

As of Saturday, June 15, the Konecnys had received close to $33,000 to help with Nico’s medical-related expenses. For those who want to donate to the Gofundme, visit GoFundMe.com.