This was a really unhealthy crash, with many riders out of the race after they crashed into, or over, a concrete roadside storm drain. Among the large names are out
Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), Primož Roglič (Bora-hansgrohe) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) are all out of Itzulia Basque Nation after a really heavy crash on stage 4.
Numerous riders got here down on a sweeping left hander, overshooting it and crashing into or over an open, concrete-lined, storm drain by the roadside. A complete of 12 riders got here down, with six taken to hospital.
Vingegaard regarded like he was particularly badly injured and remained on the bottom for a very long time, although he was acutely aware because it was clear from the TV photographs he was shifting.
He was finally taken away by ambulance. This night his group confirmed he had suffered a damaged collarbone and a number of damaged ribs.
Whereas Roglič, who additionally crashed yesterday, and Evenepoel had been in a position to stroll to the close by ambulances, Evenepoel was nursing his arm within the method of a rider with a suspected damaged collarbone.
Evenepoel later confirmed he had suffered a damaged collarbone and damaged shoulder blade.
Of the highest trio – although they weren’t the one ones to crash – Vingegaard’s situation regarded essentially the most severe. Whereas the bunch continued for a number of kilometres, because it dipped simply inside 30km to go, it was then dropped at a halt as so many ambulances had been required to deal with the injured again the street.
Others who crashed embody Natnael Tesfatsion (Lidl Trek) and EF Schooling-EasyPost duo Sean Quinn and Alexander Cepeda. The stage was stopped and neutralised for the overall classification.
Simply a few minutes earlier than the large crash, the breakaway arrived on the identical spot the place the incident would occur. One of many breakaway riders ran off the street, see closing video beneath. Nonetheless, he nearly managed to keep away from the open storm drain, earlier than coming again onto the street after staying upright.
Extra to come back.