Davide Rebellin, 49, crashes out of Coppi e Bartali stage race

Davide Rebellin has abandoned the Coppi e Bartali stage race after a crash on stage three.

The 49-year-old former Monument winner, currently racing his 29th pro season, went down on the 139km stage around Riccione in Italy, and despite finishing the stage decided not to start on day four. 

Rebellin will undergo x-rays in hospital on Friday (March 26) to test for fractures, having suffered with pain through the night, according to SpazioCiclismo.

Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali is a prestigious lower-tier stage race in Italy, taking place over five stages.

The race has already seen plenty of drama, as Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) took the leader’s jersey after the opening day, narrowly missing out on the stage 1a sprint finish and then moving into the overall lead in the team time trial on stage 1b. 

Success for the Brits continued on stage three, as Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) took a sprint victory, the second win of his fledgling career. 

Rebellin was able to finish stage three after his crash, but rolled in 18 minutes down on Hayter.

The Italian is now racing for Italian Continental squad Work Service Marchiol Vega for the 2021 season.

Having started his pro career in 1992, Rebellion went on to ride for the Gerolsteiner squad from 2002 to 2008.

With wins in Tirreno-Adriatico, Paris-Nice, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, as well as multiple Flèche Wallone victories, Rebellin has raced for Continental and Pro Continental squads since 2009. 

Rebellin, who turns 50 on August 9, had been on the search for a new contract for the 2021 season, as he was linked to the Cambodia Cycling Academy, before he finally signed with his current Italian squad.  

>>> ‘I’m getting better all the time’: Geraint Thomas pleasantly surprised by encouraging early-season form 

This season, Rebellion took a strong second place in the GP Industria and Artigianato earlier this month, before racing in Croatia, and then returning to Italy for Coppi e Bartali.