Jumbo-Visma rider David Dekker crashed into a ravine on the second stage of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, after misjudging a bend during a descent 12 kilometres from the finish.
TV cameras from the helicopter show Dekker heading straight into the ravine, but missed his eventual crash due to the trees blocking the view. Thankfully, the 24-year-old confirmed on his Twitter (opens in new tab) he didn't suffer serious injuries, picking up a bruised buttock and shoulder abrasions from the branches he encountered.
Cameras also later showed Dekker back on the road ready to remount his bike, but a broken wheel meant he couldn't continue on the stage, or the rest of the race.
🚴🇪🇸 | Zo dat zag er niet goed uit. David Dekker rijdt zo het ravijn in. Gelukkig lijkt de schade mee te vallen en zit hij alweer op de fiets. #VCV2022 😰😳 pic.twitter.com/q5bDTf8HY8February 3, 2022
Dekker said: “I’m doing relatively well after what happened. A rider crashed and I noticed it too late to avoid him. I chose to go left instead of crashing into him. As a result, I fell into the bushes a few metres down. It was quite steep, so by the time I got back to the top, everyone had passed.
"My wheel was broken and I was a bit dizzy. That’s why I got in the ambulance. I am okay now. Physically, I’ve had a big blow. My left buttock is swollen and I have abrasions on my shoulder from the branches. I wouldn’t have been able to race tomorrow anyway."
According to sporting director Frans Maassen, Dekker's withdrawal has scuppered Jumbo-Visma's plans for stage three of the five-day race. A difficult mountain stage which finishes with five brutal climbs and ends on Alto Antenas del Maigmo Tibi, 5.4 kilometres long with an average gradient of 8.4 per cent, the Dutch outfit had intended to use Dekker for the final push to the finish line.
Maassen said: “Tomorrow [Friday], our three climbers can do their best again. Our main goal was to sprint with David, so that’s out of the question now. That is a shame. We will now recover and try to show our best side tomorrow.”
Fabio Jakobsen dominated the second stage of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, with Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl teammate Remco Evenepoel still leading the race. There are three stages remaining of the five-day race, and Evenepoel has a 19-second advantage over second-place Aleksandr Vlasov of Bora-Hansgrohe.
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
-
Inside the first Global Bike Festival: Road, gravel and mountain biking come together in the Austrian Alps
Cycling Weekly was there to find out why hundreds of people travelled to Austria with their bikes for a weekend
-
Should cyclists be worried about skin damage? All you need to know about protecting yourself from harmful rays
As high summer approaches, promising long hours of sun-drenched cycling, here’s what you need to know about the dangers posed by the sun and how to reduce the risk
-
Jumbo-Visma stopping Wout van Aert from sharing Strava rides: 'We want to prevent speculation'
General manager Richard Plugge said the team won't risk Wout van Aert's involvement in Paris-Roubaix if he isn't fully fit
-
Cross-country ski podiums and maybe racing mountain biking again: Sepp Kuss and his own unique trajectory, 'not wanting to feel too much pressure, or have an over-necessity to win'
The Jumbo-Visma rider takes his cycling seriously, but enjoyment takes precedence
-
From piste to peloton - Anna Henderson's rapid rise through the ranks
Jumbo Visma's British time trial champion Anna Henderson talks budget bikes, team dynamics and ski school
-
Jumbo-Visma cancels training camp after positive Covid-19 test
The positive Covid-19 result means the Belgian team ends their training camp after just a couple of days
-
Nathan Van Hooydonck opens up about the loss of his newborn son
Jumbo-Visma rider credits his girlfriend Alicia with helping him get through the death of his son Thiago
-
Jumbo-Visma signals ambitious 2022 intentions by revealing Tour de France and Giro d'Italia squads
Primož Roglič, Jonas Vingegaard and Wout van Aert will lead the Tour, while Tom Dumoulin and Tobias Foss will head the Giro
-
Rohan Dennis says he moved to Jumbo-Visma because Ineos Grenadiers were copying 'a lot of stuff' from Dutch team
Australian time-trialist will be part of Jumbo-Visma's Tour de France squad
-
Grace Brown and Rohan Dennis win Australian time trial titles
Dennis wins fourth title, Brown wins second, both in new team colours
