Major Crash Rocks Itzulia Basque Country: Stage Neutralized as Riders Get Medical Attention
A terrifying crash marred stage 4 of the Itzulia Basque Country on April 4th, 2024.
High-Speed Descent Ends in Disaster
The incident occurred during a high-speed descent on a tight right-hand corner following the summit of the Olaeta climb in northern Spain. One rider lost control while navigating the bend, triggering a chain reaction that brought down a total of 12 riders.
Tour de France Champion Among the Affected
Among the most affected riders was two-time Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard. The 27-year-old Dane received oxygen from paramedics and remained on the ground for several minutes before being stretchered off the course with a neck brace.
Vingegaard’s team, Visma-Lease, confirmed he was conscious and would undergo examination at a hospital.
💥 𝐂𝐚𝐢́𝐝𝐚 𝐦𝐮́𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 con muchos implicados en la @ehitzulia
🚨 Vingegaard, Evenepoel y Roglic, con gestos de bastante dolor entre los afectados#itzulia2024 pic.twitter.com/pVjlaglVd9
— Eurosport.es (@Eurosport_ES) April 4, 2024
Multiple Riders Taken to Hospital
Remco Evenepoel, though seemingly less injured than Vingegaard, was left holding his collarbone after landing in the grass. He received medical attention and was later transported to the hospital by ambulance.
Statements from teams indicated Primož Roglič, Jay Vine, Sean Quinn, Alexander Cepeda, and Natnael Tesfatsion also received roadside medical treatment, with Vine joining Evenepoel on the ambulance ride to the hospital. Eurosport reported a total of six riders were taken to the hospital.
Race Neutralized After Devastating Crash
The horrific crash forced race officials to neutralize the remaining 27.9 kilometers. Initially, organizers only removed the Untzilla climb from the route before ultimately neutralizing the stage entirely.
This meant the six riders who were ahead of the crash competed for a stage finish, but their times wouldn’t be counted towards the general classification. The remaining peloton rode neutrally to the finish line.
Riders’ Association Calls for More Respectful TV Coverage
The president of the Cyclistes Professionnels Associés (CPA), the largest international association of professional cyclists, criticized TV coverage of the crash. The CPA argued that showing injured riders on the ground was disrespectful to the riders and their families. They expressed support for a rule change to prevent such filming in the future.
