Today, the Itzulia Basque Country stage race witnessed a grim turn of events as a catastrophic crash unfolded during Stage 4, leaving numerous riders injured, including Grand Tour favorites like Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard, Primož Roglič, Jay Vine, and Remco Evenepoel.
Among the injured, Visma-Lease a Bike’s Vingegaard suffered a broken collarbone and several fractured ribs and will remain in the hospital. Evenepoel (Soudal-Quickstep) also suffered a broken right collarbone and right scapula, according to each of the riders’ teams.
UAE Team Emirates’ Jay Vine also sustained fractures to three of his vertebrae, while Roglič (Bora-hansgrohe), already grappling with injuries from a prior crash, was forced to abandon the race but fortunately sustained less severe injuries and was attended to by medical staff on-site.
The incident occurred approximately 35 km from the finish line as the peloton navigated a tight right-hand bend within dense woodland. One rider’s slide triggered a domino effect, resulting in multiple riders tumbling down, some landing in unprotected concrete ditches. Initial reports suggest at least ten riders were affected, six requiring immediate hospitalization.
The severity of the crash prompted the race organizers to neutralize the competition, with concerns mounting as ambulances rushed to the scene to attend to the fallen riders. The extent of the injuries varied, with some riders, like Jay Vine of UAE Team Emirates, requiring hospitalization for further evaluation.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. However, local rider Mikel Bizkarra shed light on the treacherous conditions of the road, citing the presence of underlying tree roots that rendered the asphalt uneven and prone to accidents.
As the race organization dealt with the aftermath, decisions were made to neutralize the GC battle for the day, with only the breakaway riders continuing their pursuit to the finish line. Riders like Vingegaard, conscious but under observation, were transported to hospitals for further assessment.
