Joel Stransky on bike crash: I landed face first

Retired Springboks great Joel Stransky has opened up about a horror fall cycling accident that he suffered in South Africa this week.

Stransky , who kicked a drop goal in extra time to help South Africa to a gripping World Cup final win over New Zealand in Johannesburg, crashed out of a competitive race in Cape Town.

He was riding in the 2017 Absa Cape Epic when he crashed spectacularly in Sunday's 26km Prologue stage at Meerendal Wine Estate.

Stransky, 49, who has turned to mountain biking following his retirement from rugby, was left with a bloodied face and was rushed to hospital after breaking a rib and puncturing his lung.

The ultra-fit Stransky was competing in his eighth Cape Epic and was partnered by former Sharks centre Jeremy Thomson, also 49, in the Grand Masters category, but was in surprisingly good spirits after the fall.

He was spoken about the crash for the first time in a YouTube video posted by BicyclingSA.

"Probably the best way to describe it is maybe a little overly-enthusiastic. I was racing quite hard and to be quite honest I ran out of skill and talent...at some point my back wheel overtook from front wheel, smacked me over the bar and I landed face first in the muck," he said,

"I was quite lucky in many ways. No broken bones in the face. A few broken ribs but no damage to eyes or eye sockets. A couple of scars and some plastic surgery and hear I sit today."

Stransky said he will make a full recovery and be back on the bike very soon.