collapse “scary”
Colbrelli has no memory of his target drama
03/22/2022, 7:29 p.m
Professional cyclist Sonny Colbrelli collapses directly behind the finish line on Monday, the drama overshadows the start of the Tour of Catalonia. Now the Italian is doing better, he’s even thinking about when he can get back on his bike. He cannot remember his emergency.
A day after his dramatic collapse at the end of the first stage of the Tour of Catalonia, Italian professional cyclist Sonny Colbrelli is on the mend. “It was scary at first, but I’m already thinking about when I’ll be able to race again,” Colbrelli told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. His team Bahrain Victorious also confirmed the day after the collapse that he was conscious and feeling well.
Accordingly, the European champion is in contact with family and friends while he is recovering in the hospital and the cause of the incident is being sought there. “All of the cardiac tests performed last night revealed no signs of concern or impaired function,” the team said. According to the team, further investigations had shown that a cardiac arrhythmia had led to the collapse.
Colbrelli collapsed and passed out on Monday after the finish sprint of the opening stage of the Tour of Catalonia. As his team reported, the sprint specialist received immediate medical attention in the finish area, defibrillation was necessary, and he was then taken to the hospital. Team boss Milan Erzen had said that Colbrelli was in poor health, but that he was conscious and would speak. The professional cyclist cannot remember the incident. “I crossed the line and then fell to the ground,” explained Colbrelli. He only remembered when he woke up in the hospital.
In the uphill sprint to the finish of the first stage, Colbrelli had previously taken second place. Spanish media reported that the 31-year-old was given cardiopulmonary resuscitation after falling unconscious.
The Tour of Catalonia continued without the Italian. Phil Bauhaus just missed out on victory on the second stage. The 27-year-old from the same team as Colbrelli was only beaten by Australian Kaden Groves (Team BikeExchange-Jayco) in the final sprint in Perpignan, France. Bauhaus had recently won the last stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico long-distance trip.
Norwegian Jonas Iversby Hvideberg (Team DSM) took the lead in the overall standings of the Tour of Catalonia. The tour ends in Barcelona on Sunday.