A first update from Visma-Lease a Bike on Jonas Vingegaard, who was amongst multiple fallers in a horrific crash on stage 4 of the Itzulia Basque Country, said that the Dane has broken his collarbone and several ribs and will remain in hospital as a precaution.
Soudal-Quickstep confirmed that Remco Evenepoel has sustained a broken collarbone and scapula in the same crash, while UAE Team Emirates said Jay Vine sustained fractures to three of his vertebrae.
All three Tour de France contenders were among the many riders who fell on a fast downhill curve, in one of the worst mass crashes in recent cycling history.
Defending Itzulia Basque Country champion Vingegaard lay on the ground for several minutes before race footage showed him speaking with medical support and being stretchered away. Visma-Lease, a Bike sports director Frans Maassen, reported later that he was conscious, and the news was later confirmed via Twitter.
It was the first time since Vingegaard has had a serious accident since he first won the Tour de France in 2022.
Sports director Addy Engels later added, "Fortunately, he was conscious when we arrived to him. Jonas is now being examined at the hospital. We are waiting for any updates."
Primož Roglič (Bora-Hansgrohe) was also limping as he headed to the team car, but he later gave a thumbs-up to photographers following the Bora-Hansgrohe vehicle. The Slovenian had already badly grazed his hip and upper leg in a crash on stage 3 but could continue, only for another crash to happen less than 24 hours later.
Remco Evenepoel also fell and abandoned the race, as he was involved in the same crash. The crash happened during a press conference held by Soudal-QuickStep for Paris-Roubaix, and Patrick Lefevere was quick to comment on the possible reasons and consequences.
"The rider on Remco's wheel fell and he probably lost his focus for a moment and also went down," Lefevere argued.
"I don't think he took too many risks; the road seemed very slippery. It could have been worse with all those boulders and trees, but it does seem to have been very serious. It's never a good sign when a rider grabs his shoulder like that.
"It's happened in the worst possible moment, but we're waiting for the medical report."
Before the crash, Evenepoel's next race was set to be Liège-Bastogne-Liège, where he is double defending champion, and Lefevere would not be drawn on the possible consequences. He was adamant, though, that the Tour remained on the Belgian's program.
"There's still a fortnight to go until Liège and plenty of things [injuries] can be repaired. But if something's broken, then everything stops immediately."
Broken vertebrae for Vine
EF Education-EasyPost had two riders come down, Alexander Cepeda and Sean Quinn. Cepeda could continue, but Quinn had to abandon, with a team update revealing that Quinn suffered concussion as well as a sternum fracture, abrasions and bruising. UAE's Jay Vine and TotalEnergies Stef Cras, were also both taken to hospital.
After further examination the French team reported that Cras "suffers from a right pneumothorax, several associated rib fractures and two dorsal vertebral fractures, in addition to several hematomas, wounds and dermabrasions".
UAE Team Emirates medical director Adriano Rotunno said Vine has fractures in his spine but ruled out any other serious injuries.
"Jay Vine suffered a heavy crash today during the race and sustained a cervical and two thoracic spine vertebral body fractures. Thankfully no neurological involvement, and there are no other major injuries or head trauma.
"Jay will stay in hospital for neurological observation. We await spinal orthopaedic assessment and further management."
Lidl-Trek confirmed that their rider Natnatel Tesfazion was among the riders who suffered the worst in the large crash at Itzulia Basque Country. The team confirmed that he was transported to hospital by ambulance for all the necessary checks.
"He never lost consciousness, despite the bad crash, but suffered numerous contusions and abrasions on the right part of his body," Lidl-Trek confirmed in a medical update.
"The medical examinations performed on Natnael revealed no fractures or concussion. Further treatment is currently underway, particularly on the right elbow, the most severe injury sustained by the rider."
🇪🇸 #Itzulia2024Update: Jonas is conscious and will be examined in the hospital now. Thank you for your messages. More updates later.April 4, 2024
No appetite for racing
After such a devastating crash, in any case, there was little appetite amongst those left in the peloton to even discuss anything like racing when they reached the finish line in Legutio.
“I didn't see the crash, but I heard a lot of guys are in hospital, this is really a special and sad day,” new race leader Matthias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) said in comments later. “I wish all the guys that crashed the best.
“I prefer not to think about the lead, my mind is with the guys that crashed. I’m not thinking about the leader’s jersey now;” Skjelmose, whose teammate Natnael Tesfatsion was amongst those who fell and taken to hospital, said afterwards.
“There were some really bumpy roads, we were fighting for positions and unfortunately. we came a little bit too fast. There was nothing to do, some guys crashed, a lot of guys just followed. It was really unlucky and I don’t think it was anybody’s fault.”
As for why there were so many crashes this week in Basque Country, he argued, “To be honest this race, there’ve been quite a lot. I’m surprised, because I’ve just come from Paris-Nice which is always nervous.
“But I think it’s maybe the [Itzulia] course is a little bit easier this year, and the level is so high so so many guys can be up there fighting for positions. Even if we go crazy numbers on the climbs, there are always 60 guys at the top and that always makes it more nervous. I think there’s not so much to say, that’s how cycling is for now.”
