Romain Bardet (Team DSM) has said it took a long time to get help for Julian Alaphilippe (QuickStep Alpha Vinyl) after the world champion crashed at Liège–Bastogne–Liège yesterday.
It has since emerged that Alaphilippe suffered a collapsed lung, a number of broke ribs and a broken shoulder during the crash, which saw a large section of the peloton come down hard as they were descending with about 60km to go in the race.
When Bardet saw Alaphilippe in such distress, having crashed off the road and down into undergrowth, he decided to go to his aid rather than get back on his own bike and could be seen repeatedly gesturing for help for Alaphilippe.
“I saw that Julian was three meters deeper,” Bardet told RMC Sport of Alaphilippe crashing down off the road. “He was conscious but couldn't speak or breathe. He couldn't breathe. I was really shocked. He was in bad shape.
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“The road was completely blocked. No one came and he really needed help. I was scared. I cried for help, but it took forever. At least three or four minutes. Bicycles and colleagues were everywhere, this was no longer a cycling race. They had fallen at 80 kilometers per hour.”
Bardet also took to social media today to comment on what happen, saying he had "a hard time putting into words" yesterday's events.
"I still feel anxious when I think back to the images of the injured riders. I am touched by the many messages I have received, but I am sure anyone in my situation would have done the same. There is no competition when someone's physical integrity is compromised.
"That crash also made me think about our shared responsibility to avoid such an accident, which could have ended tragically, in the future. About the respect there should be between us drivers. The responsibility we have when we take risks to move up one place in the pack can be tough on the 100 riders behind us.
"I don't throw a stone at anyone and I don't have a monopoly on the truth. But simply put, we give our bodies and minds for a sport, which can turn tragic in a flash and hinder the beauty of the sport.”
