Team bonding session left two Uno-X riders with carbon monoxide poisoning

End-of-season training camps typically act as the perfect time for riders to reminisce about the year just gone while getting to know new teammates in a stress-free environment.

However, a team bonding session during Uno-X Mobility's winter camp ended with two riders, including a new signing, hospitalised with carbon monoxide poisoning - something that can be fatal through high levels of exposure.

Anders Halland Johannessen and Jonas Iversby Hvideberg were both taken to hospital and treated with oxygen following the incident at an indoor karting circuit in Copenhagen at the beginning of December.

The Scandinavian team have confirmed to GCN that both riders, who also received treatment in a pressure tank, have since made a full recovery and are training as normal.

Riders felt 'dizzy' and were 'throwing up'

The incident occurred when, alongside the team's staff members, the riders spent an afternoon at an indoor karting circuit in the Danish capital during their end-of-season get-together.

Shortly after the session, Anders Halland Johannessen and Jonas Iversby Hvideberg fell ill and were taken to hospital where they were diagnosed with poisoning by the odourless gas.

In an interview with Norway's TV2, Hvideberg recounted how he rapidly became ill after leaving the circuit.

"I felt dizzy and heavy in the head. I therefore laid down a bit before we were supposed to gather for dinner. I just got worse and worse, and finally, I was lying in the fetal position in bed with a severe headache.

"It started with me throwing up. Five minutes later I was off the cliff. We realised fairly quickly that these were serious matters," added the rider who has just rejoined the squad from dsm-firmenich PostNL.

The team's doctor quickly sent the pair to hospital, where they were treated with oxygen.

"I couldn't keep my eyes open and sent a message to the team doctor. When he entered the room, I was reasonably absent. It was probably an unpleasant experience for those around us to see how bad we were," added Halland Johannesen, whose twin brother and teammate Tobias, as well as the team's doctor and trainer, spent the night with him and Hvideberg.

Despite showing positive signs, the pair were sent to Denmark's National Hospital for treatment in a pressure tank as an extra precaution.

Hvideberg, who started his career at Uno-X before two years away, described the astronaut-like treatment as an experience in itself, adding: "When they considered keeping us for a week for several rounds in the pressure tank, morale sank. Fortunately, we escaped."

Looking back on the incident, Halland Johannesen joked: "It felt like after a proper tour of the city. But I'm not sure if we were any worse than the others who took it all the way out the same night we ended up in hospital."

An Uno-X spokesperson told GCN: "We do not have any other comments than the riders already gave to TV 2 Norway. Both riders have recovered 100% after the incident at the indoor go-cart centre, and are in full training."