Team Jayco AlUla has said it will now have to adjust its plan for La Vuelta after its general classification leader, Eddie Dunbar, and one of its key stage hunters, Filippo Zana, were both forced out of the race on stage 5 today.
In Dunbar's case, his race came to an end even before the stage officially started as he crashed in the neutralised section. And having already been nursing injuries from his two crashes on the opening TTT last Saturday, the latest crash was bad news.
His team has now offered an update on Dunbar and it raises the prospect he may be able to return to race action before the season is out, which would be very good news.
“Eddie was already suffering some soreness from the crashes during the TTT on stage one and with the crash today, the impact was in a similar area to the first stage, so it was impossible for him to push, impossible for him to pedal," said team medic Dr Dani Castillo.
Advertisement
Related News
"Fortunately, the x-ray doesn’t show any bone injury, unfortunately he can’t ride at the moment, but with some rest and good treatment he will be OK.
"For Filippo, he started to feel some stomach issues yesterday, we did a Covid test and it was negative. It seems like a gastrointestinal virus and he was really empty today, he tried to do his best but mid-stage he had no energy to keep riding.”
Pieter Weening said the team was very disappointed to see its Irishman and Italian rider depart the race, adding it would not have to change its plans.
“It’s a big loss for the team losing these two guys, especially for what is coming up in the next two weeks. We will need to adjust our plan a little bit, but we are still here with young riders that can learn a lot and for sure this Vuelta is not over yet for us.”
