Removal by ambulance: Severe fall overshadows the Giro stage


Removal by ambulance
Heavy fall overshadows Giro stage

A fracture of the right collarbone, six fractures of the ribs, two fractures of the thoracic vertebra: these are the bitter findings for the Italian Alessandro De Marchi after his serious fall at the Giro d’Italia. Emanuel Buchmann and front runner Egan Bernal meanwhile take it easy.

One day after the exchange of blows between the German hopefuls Emanuel Buchmann and front runner Egan Bernal, the favorites at the Giro d’Italia have refrained from further attacks. The contenders for overall victory reached the finish on Thursday on the twelfth stage over 212 kilometers from Siena to Bagno di Romagna, around ten minutes behind the day’s winner Andrea Vendrame from Italy. Second and third place went to Australian Christopher Hamilton and Italian Gianluca Brambilla, who also belonged to a larger breakaway group.

The stage was overshadowed by the serious fall of the Italian Alessandro De Marchi. In the early stages of the 212 kilometers from Siena to Bagno di Romagna, the 35-year-old fell and initially lay motionless on the ground. De Marchi was driven away from the scene of the accident in an ambulance immediately afterwards.

The infamous Monte Zoncolan is coming up

As his team Israel Start-Up Nation later announced, the professional cyclist suffered a fracture of his right collarbone as well as six broken ribs and two fractures of the thoracic vertebra in the fall. A head injury could be ruled out. Nevertheless, the Italian has to spend at least one night in the hospital. “I’m fine,” said the professional cyclist later from the hospital. De Marchi had already worn the overall leader’s pink jersey during the current Giro. He had already suffered a serious accident in 2019.

In the overall standings, the Colombian Bernal is 45 seconds ahead of the Russian Alexander Vlasow. Buchmann is 1:50 minutes back sixth. On Friday, the sprinters can hope for a mass arrival. There are no mountains to conquer over 198 kilometers from Ravenna to Verona. On the other hand, it will be all the more difficult on Saturday when it goes up the notorious Monte Zoncolan.

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