About 25km from the finish several of the Tour de France riders crashed today, including Marta Cavalli. The number 2 in the last Italian Grand Prix was hit at high speed by Australian champion Nicole Frane.
Cavalli sat on the ground for a few minutes, but eventually got back on the bike. However, it was decided after the race to take the Italian out of the race as a precaution.
“We don’t have much news about Marta, she had a cranial injury,” said team manager Stephen Delcourt upon arrival in Provence. “We are in contact with the doctor. She was taken to the hospital. There she goes under the scanner.”
“I was so shocked,” Delcourt said. “We didn’t want to take the risk.” “She was reluctant to continue, but the team said ‘no’. We don’t want to play with the lives of our riders.”
Several accidents occurred in the last 30 km of the second stage. In addition to Cavalli, her compatriot Gaya Masiti had to surrender, as did Laura Sobelmic. The German is undergoing examinations for possible fractures in hospital, according to the Plantur-Bora team.
“We are very concerned,” Delcourt said after the incident. “I’ve seen again how dangerous our sport is. We have to be really careful. I’m very concerned about the safety of our passengers.”
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