Affini explains what happened in Ayuso’s 75 km/h crash after TV cameras missed the moment

Because the helicopter could not take off to provide television pictures due to the weather conditions, it was not immediately clear what had caused Ayuso’s crash. Affini was riding directly behind the Spaniard at the moment it happened and later described the incident in his post-stage interview with CyclingProNet, the original external source referenced in the Dutch article.

“I don’t know exactly what happened, but I think he just slid a bit with his rear wheel,” Affini said. “He crashed right in front of me and I’m very happy that I managed to brake in time.”

“By braking, I avoided hitting him. That would not have been pleasant for me, but certainly not for him either. If two riders weighing 85 kilos come into you at 70 or 80 kilometres per hour, that’s not nice.”

Ayuso ultimately escaped without fractures or serious injuries. Lidl-Trek later confirmed that hospital X-rays in France showed no broken bones, while a further medical assessment also ruled out other major damage. The Spaniard has since travelled home under the supervision of the team’s medical staff.

Affini and Jonas Vingegaard were the only two Visma | Lease a Bike riders still in position before that crash. “That meant I could protect Jonas and keep him near the front,” Affini explained. “We only had two riders there, so from time to time we had to take a few risks.”

After Ayuso’s crash — and Affini’s heavy braking to avoid him — Vingegaard was left alone against four riders from Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe. Even so, the Dane managed to hold them off in the finale, while Affini still finished a strong nineteenth on the day.

For Visma | Lease a Bike, reserve leader Davide Piganzoli also abandoned the race, but medical checks later showed he had not suffered any serious injuries. That was not the case for several other riders caught up in the stage’s crashes, as became clear in the medical bulletin released afterwards.