VN news ticker: Fernando Gaviria, Jhonatan Narváez both fracture wrists in E3 crash, Mikel Landa steps down from role with Fundación Euskadi
Here's the news making headlines for Saturday, March 27.
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Fernando Gaviria, Jhonatan Narváez fracture wrists in same crash at E3 Saxo Bank Classic
Fernando Gaviria (UAE Emirates) and Jhonatan Narváez (Ineos Grenadiers) have both been left with fractured wrists from their crash at 120km to go in Friday’s E3 Saxo Bank Classic. The pair immediately withdrew from the race, and further testing has revealed them both to have suffered broken bones.
“We immediately realized that there was something seriously wrong,” sports director Servais Knaven told Sporza on Saturday. “Narváez does not give up too easily. He is mentally affected by this injury because he knows that his spring will end immediately because of that stupid fall.”
The Ecuadorian rouleur has now been ruled out of Gent-Wevelgem and Tour of Flanders in what will make for a major blow to his team. Meanwhile, Gaviria confirmed his injury on Instagram, which UAE Emirates said will see him miss about one month of racing.
Mikel Landa steps down from presidency role with Fundación Euskadi
Bahrain-Victorious captain Mikel Landa has had to step down from his role with Fundación Euskadi due to a conflict of interest.
The grand tour star had acted as president of the foundation, which supports ProTeam Euskaltel Euskadi, since 2017. The promotion of the Euskaltel Euskadi team to the second-tier of pro racing at the start of last year caused a clash that has prompted Landa to step away from his role.
“With the move from the men’s team to the UCI ProTeam category, it became clear that my role within the Euskadi Foundation had to change completely, since it could cause incompatibilities that no one wanted,” Landa wrote in a statement from Fundación Euskadi. “Being an active cyclist and competing in events where the Euskaltel-Euskadi team was also present, it was neither prudent nor logical for me to keep my functions at the Foundation.”
“I guarantee you that my heart is and will be orange for life,” Landa said, referring to the team’s iconic orange livery.