Watch: Stalled motorcyclist causes mass cycling crash

Cyclists competing in the Brooklyn leg of the Red Hook Crit were caught in a massive pileup when a motorbike stalled. Photo / Twitter.

A cycling race in the United States had to be restarted yesterday after a motorbike stalled at the beginning of the race, wiping out half the field.

The United States leg of the international Red Hook Crit (Criterium) series had only just got underway when the motorcyclist, who was supposed to ride ahead of the field, stalled his bike at one of the tightest spots on the course where the group of riders were tightly bunched.

Some of the 85-strong field managed to make it past the stranded bike, but after two of the riders hit the motorbike, dozens more were soon swept up into a mass pileup.

At least seven riders were taken to local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The race was restarted and American Colin Strictland was the eventual winner of the race, which sees competitors ride on track bikes (without gears or brakes) round a street circuit.