The Deceuninck-Quickstep and Androni Giocattoli teams have suffered crashes on their December training camps as two groups were hit by drivers in cars.
The crash involving WorldTour team Deceuninck-Quickstep was the most serious incident, with some of its riders suffering broken bones and one requiring surgery.
Rémi Cavagna suffered a fractured L1 vertebra and remains in hospital in Valencia while Mauri Vansevenant broke his thumb. While Vansevenant has been abled to travel home to Belgium, and was expected to recover quickly, Cavagna will require surgery.
Vansevenant said the crash occurred as the group was riding downhill, having just had photos taken in their kits for next year at the camp in Altea.
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“Suddenly a small car was ignoring the right of way regulation and came onto the main road from a side route. We had to slam on the brakes but three riders, including Rémi and me, could not avoid crashing,” Vansevenant told Het Laatste Nieuws.
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The Androni Giocattoli team was training on the first day of their December camp in Benidorm on Friday when some of their riders were hit by a driver.
Martì Vigo, from Spain, and Colombians Juan Diego Alba, Brandon Rojas and Juan Diego were all involved in the incident, with the team saying teenager Rojas "bounced" off the car's windscreen and suffered cuts to his neck.
While Rojas also injured his knee, no broken bones were diagnosed and the other three riders suffered bruising.
The team said the crash occurred when the driver was joining a road as the riders were approaching on the oncoming direction going down a slight descent.
