Published August 3, 2022 09:08AM
Speed bump in final 700 meters triggers heavy crash at Vuelta a Burgos
Timo Roosen won the stage after avoiding the late-stage spill provoked by an elevated pedestrian crossing within the final kilometer.
A crash stopped the peloton cold within the final kilometer. (Photo: RTVE)
Riders crashed in the closing kilometer and a half-dozen fell hard after clipping a speed bump with about 700m to go in Wednesday’s second stage at the Vuelta a Burgos.
In what was an otherwise routine stage across the meseta of northern Spain turned into chaos after the peloton roared under the red kite for what was likely going to be the only pure bunch sprint of the five-day race.
Jumbo-Visma sprinter David Dekker lost control of his handlebars when he struck the elevated pedestrian crossing at about 500m to go. Dekker then fell over his bars and flipped onto his back. Others fell in his wake, including David Ballerini (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) and an Ag2r-Citroën rider crashed into the barriers.
Three riders from Jumbo-Visma avoided the crash, and crossed the line to sweep the podium. Timo Roosen won the stage, with Edoardo Affini and Chris Harper trailing across one-two-three.
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“It was really hectic already, and we took the front, Affini just pulled full-gas and it was an all-out effort,” Roosen said. “There was some speed bump out of nowhere, I didn’t really see it. I heard something behind me, but I didn’t know what happened. I looked behind me and I thought it was David, and then I heard he had crashed. I went to the final corner at 250m and just sprinted to the line. Because of the crash I was there and I could win.
“It’s a nice one to have on the palmares, but I hope to have it a different way,” he said. “I heard it was a big crash, I didn’t see anything. It’s not the most beautiful way to win a race.”
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Overnight leader Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) retained the overall lead as the time differences were not counted because it happened within the closing 3km in the sprinter’s stage.
The Burgos tour continues Thursday with the 156km third stage from Quintana Martín Galíndez to Villarcayo. Three third-category climbs are punctuated by the hors-categorie climb at Picon Blanco with 40km to go.