Entertainment

Sir Richard Branson bloodied and bruised after cycling crash

Richard Branson (right) with injuries standing with another man with injuries
Richard Branson after his cycling accident in Virgin Gorda. PICTURE: Richard Branson/Facebook

Sir Richard Branson has been left bloodied and bruised after a terrifying cycling accident.

The 73-year-old businessman was biking around Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands when his bicycle hit a pot hole and he "crashed hard" leaving him with a bloodied arm and a large bruise on his hip, but he's thankful not to have broken any bones.

He shared a picture of his injuries on Instagram and wrote: "Took quite a big tumble while cycling in Virgin Gorda a little while ago! I hit a pothole and crashed hard, resulting in another hematoma on my hip and a nasty cut elbow, but amazingly nothing broken.

"We were cycling with Alex Wilson, who fell after me, but thankfully he was ok as well. I’m counting myself very lucky, and thankful for keeping myself active and healthy. After all, the brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all!"

It comes three years after the entrepreneur suffered another nasty bike crash back in 2021 when he was taking part in a charity ride around the island of Tortola.

Branson feared he had broken his back after flying off the bike and landing on a concrete road, but he escaped with just minor injuries and insisted his cycling helmet had saved his life.

In a post on his website, he wrote: "I was navigating a steep corner, with a massive cliff drop to my left, a car coming up the hill, and my fellow Striver, Felix Stellmaszek, in front of me passing the car.

"I pulled on both of my brakes, but they didn’t respond. I was going faster and faster, with my options being to drop off the cliff, hit the car, or potentially run into Felix ... We crashed - hard.

“We both fell off our bikes and our heads and bodies slammed into the concrete road. There is no question that wearing helmets saved our lives.”