In the fourth stage of the Giro d'Italia, it might have been time for an afternoon nap until suddenly riders hit the ground. Among them were the pink jersey of Mads Pedersen, teammate Giulio Ciccone, and Tom Pidcock. While almost everyone managed to continue, Nickolas Zukowsky (Q36.5) reached for his collarbone. The Canadian would be the third rider to drop out of the Tour of Italy. And that wasn't the only crash of the day...
ADVERTISEMENT
We recorded the first crash of the stage at just over 125 kilometers from the finish line. It looked like two riders from Q36.5 got entangled, causing the duo on the left side of the road to crash hard. Zukowsky was the worst affected, although he could ride on despite limping. Shortly afterward, however, he sat down on the curb and held his collarbone: the Giro d'Italia was over for him.
Many others kissed the asphalt in the crash, but in almost all cases, it was not serious. Lidl-Trek had Pedersen and Ciccone in the mix, but both riders stayed upright by braking and swerving. Tom Pidcock also appeared briefly in the footage, but the Q36.5 team leader arrived later and was not involved in the crash. The Jayco-AlUla and Israel-Premier Tech riders all continued on their way.
ADVERTISEMENT
Be replenished soon!
Pedersen once again involved in crash, but teammate biggest casualty
ADVERTISEMENT
In a stage through the center of Lecce, with all the road narrowings and dangerous corners, crashes were expected, but there was only one in the early stages. And once again, Pedersen was involved. The pink jersey came out unscathed, allowing him to get back into the race quickly and, despite all the setbacks, finish fourth in the sprint. His teammate, Søren Kragh Andersen, was not so lucky.
The 30-year-old Dane crashed into the side of the road with a rider from Polti VisitMalta, and although he finished the stage (10 minutes and 55 seconds behind the winner), the medical check at the finish line was negative. 'We are sad to report that Søren has broken his wrist in the crash in the Giro. He will not be able to continue the race and will travel home to recover. We will miss you!”
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
🚴🇮🇹 | Terwijl onze vaste commentatoren @JeroenVanbelle en @KarstenKroon hun plek innemen, is er ineens een val. We zien onder meer Pedersen en Ciccone met de voeten aan de grond. 🤕 #giroditalia
📺 Stream koers op HBO Max
Not a good day for the Maglia Rosa so far😥 @Mads__Pedersen is caught in another incident, as his teammate Soren Kragh Andersen hits the deck
#GirodItalia