A minivan crashed into a group of cyclists, injuring nine of them, in Kyowa, Hokkaido, on Wednesday.

According to police, the incident occurred at around 10:20 a.m. on National Route 276. Nine cyclists, ranging in age from 19 to 24, from the Hosei University cycling team were riding along when the minivan hit them from behind, Hokkaido Shimbun reported.

One of the cyclists, a 20-year-old woman, was left in a critical condition, while the rest of the group sustained minor injuries, police said.

Police said that at the time of the accident, visibility was good, and that the road curved only slightly.

The cycling team are on a tour around Hokkaido and were traveling to their next destination in a single line.

The minivan driver, a 57-year-old man, told police that he had been looking out his side window at the time of the accident.

© Japan Today