A 45-year-old cyclist was left in a serious condition this Sunday, 15 March, after an accident at the Estorãos bike park in the Serra d'Arga, near Ponte de Lima, according to the Lusa news agency. Emergency services were alerted mid-morning and ground rescue teams were immediately mobilised. However, according to the regional news site E24.pt, upon arrival at around 11:25, the Ponte de Lima Volunteer Firefighters determined that a ground rescue was unfeasible due to the rugged terrain and difficult access to the victim's location. The Portuguese Air Force was requested and sent an aircraft to perform a vertical extraction of the injured man, CNN confirmed. The site of the accident, often referred to as the Ponte de Lima Bike Park, is located in the parish of Cabração on the mountain slope and is one of the most popular and prestigious mountain biking destinations in Portugal, particularly for Enduro and Downhill. Following the successful rescue, the cyclist was transferred to an ambulance and taken to the Hospital de Santa Luzia in Viana do Castelo, with his condition considered serious. The rescue operation involved a significant logistical deployment, including the Ponte de Lima Volunteer Firefighters, medical teams from the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM), and patrols from the National Republican Guard (GNR).