Hugo Hofstetter, the sprinter riding for Arkéa-Samsic, looked furious at GP Denain in France on Thursday when he snapped two sets of Bianchi Oltre RC's handlebars. The bars - on his original bike and then on a spare bike - broke in the final 50km of the race, which features cobbles.
The first set of handlebars snapped after he crashed with about 48km to go. He was one of several riders to go down in the same incident. Though he got back on his bike and continued in the race, the left side of his bars was dangling off.
He then got a second bike and its handlebars also snapped. It was unclear if the second mishap occurred as he was riding over the cobbles or as a result of a second crash. Hofstetter was spotted on the TV coverage with 25km to go sitting at the back of the group with his bars broken on the right side.
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The 29-year-old could be seen gesturing to indicate it was his second set of broken bars. The French sprinter, who has been in good form this year and placed 2nd in Le Samyn two weeks ago, looked furious that his race had been ruined with such an unusual mishap twice within 25km.
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He eventually abandoned and victory on the day went to Juan Sebastián Molano (UAE Team Emirates); the Colombian best in a sprint from a small front group. Tim van Dijke, the Dutch 23-year-old riding for Jumbo-Visma, was 2nd. Timo Kielich, also aged 23 years and riding for Alpecin-Deceuninck, was 3rd.
