The Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo) had a nasty crash three months before the Tour de France.
On Thursday, the Tour de France winner of the past two years was forced off the road and the bike with approximately 33 kilometers to the finish of the 4th stage of the Tour of the Basque Country.
After the crash, Vingegaard lay almost still on the grass. The Dane’s shirt was torn at the back, so you could see bloody tears along the back.
Here he lay, and he was looked after by several doctors for about fifteen minutes, before he was carried into an ambulance wearing a neck collar.
Jumbo sporting director Frans Maassen confirms to Eurosport that Vingegaard is conscious.
In a sharp right turn, several riders slipped, forcing others to also ride off the tarmac into an area with a ditch and several large rocks.
In total, a dozen riders went off the route, and several others also struggled noticeably.
Among others, the star Remco Evenepoel also had to withdraw from the race, as he, like the Dane, needed treatment in a hospital. A total of six riders were taken away in ambulances.
Primoz Roglic, who led the race, was also part of the crash, but he was faster on his feet and looked less involved than Vingegaard. However, he also ended up leaving the race when he got into the front seat of a car and was driven away.
About ten minutes after the crash, the race management had to stop the race and neutralize the stage. At that time, Vingegaard was still receiving treatment.
Six riders broke out and, after holding still for almost an hour, were allowed to race for the stage win, although any time differences would not apply in the standings. Wanty rider Louis Meintjes broke away from the competition and cycled alone across the finish line as the first.
– It’s not a day like that where it means so much to win. The circumstances take away a lot of the joy of the victory, says Meintjes in the victory interview.
Before the 4th stage, Vingegaard was fifth in the overall standings of the race, and he was 14 seconds behind leader Roglic. Between them lay, among others, Mathias Skjelmose, who was not part of the crash.
Against a dull background, Skjelmose can now claim overall victory in the race, which ends with a semi-hilly stage on Friday and a mountain stage on Saturday.
Last year Vingegaard won the race overall after winning three out of six stages along the way.
/ritzau/
2024-04-04 14:44:07
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