The current Tour de France winner, Jonas Vingegaard, suffered a fractured collarbone and multiple broken ribs in a high-speed collision during the Itzulia Basque Country stage race.
The cyclists were on a curve during a descent. Vingegaard, 27, and other leading competitors, Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel, were forced to retire.
Stage four concluded on Thursday and had its last 35 kilometers neutralized.
Louis Meintjes won the stage after a battle amongst only the top six riders.
On Thursday, Jonas Vingegaard’s team revealed on social media that the Danish rider had suffered a devastating collision during Stage 4 of the Itzulia Basque Country in Spain.
The cyclists collided a little under 19 kilometers from the finish of the Tour de France, sending the defending champion to the hospital.
According to an update supplied by Visma’s team about X, Vingegaard was conscious when being brought to the hospital. He reportedly remained still while being gently transferred into the ambulance, donning an oxygen mask and neck brace.
The latest news from Team Visma indicates that Vingegaard is doing well despite his many serious injuries.
The collision also sent Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel to the hospital; he hurt his right collarbone and scapula. Soudal Quick-Step, his cycling team, has confirmed that he will have surgery in Belgium on Friday.
The accident happened when one rider’s front tire slid, sending the other cyclists careening off the road.
Just short of the finish line, the race was finally stopped. Six cyclists who had broken away from the leading group chose to wait in the next town. Their timings would still be used for the overall standings, even if they sprinted for the stage win.
Race officials said the overall classification would not consider the stage timings.
After three stages, the Slovenian rider Roglic still had a seven-second lead over Evenepoel. Conversely, Vingegaard lagged in the fifth position, seven seconds farther behind.
As the race approaches its fifth stage, Dane Mattias Skjelmose of Lidl-Trek has claimed the overall lead, four seconds ahead of the next competitor.
Whether Vingegaard can recuperate to attempt a third straight Circuit de France triumph is unclear.
