Vingegaard Evenepoel and Roglic involved in serious crash at Itzulia Basque Country. The incident happened when the main group of cyclists, called the peloton, was going downhill fast after reaching the top of a climb called Olaeta. They were about 35.9 kilometers away from the finish line.
In a sharp right turn, one rider seemed to lose control on the dry road, causing a chain reaction that led to several other riders falling.
Evenepoel fell onto the grass, while some riders crashed into a concrete gutter with large rocks on the sides.
Vingegaard seemed to be one of the most seriously injured riders. Several minutes after the crash, he was still on the ground, and doctors were helping him.
Other riders like Natnael Tesfatsion, Jay Vine, Alexander Cepeda, and Sean Quinn also fell. Quinn and Vine had to leave the race and go to the hospital.
The UAE Team Emirates, the team Jay Vine rides for, gave a short update about Vine’s condition, saying he was conscious and talking. They said they would provide more updates after further medical checks.
Evenepoel was holding his collarbone but was able to walk to get medical help. Roglič also seemed to be out of the race. He was seen standing and talking to medical staff on the roadside. He didn’t go to the hospital immediately and stayed in a team car.
With 27.9 kilometers left, the race was stopped as Vingegaard was taken from the race on a stretcher, wearing a neck brace. Eurosport reported that a total of 12 riders fell, with six taken to the hospital.
About 40 minutes after the crash, the ambulances left for the hospital.
Visma-Lease a Bike later said that Jonas was conscious and would be examined at the hospital. They thanked everyone for their messages and promised more updates later.
After a long delay and some confusion, the race organizers announced that the main group of riders would not compete for the win. Instead, the six riders who were leading the race before the crash would finish the stage. The times for this stage wouldn’t count towards the overall classification. The main group would ride slowly to the finish line.