‘You owe this person a new windshield’: Lawson Craddock blames Euskadi rider after he crashes into car (video)

American walks away from Basque Country crash
Henry Robertshaw

EF Education First-Drapac rider Lawson Craddock has pinned the blame on an Euskadi-Murias rider after he crashed into a parked car on the final stage of the Tour of the Basque Country.

Craddock crashed on stage six of the of the Tour of the Basque Country as the peloton battled wet conditions on the 164km stage between Eibar and Arrate, crashing into a parked car on one of the town’s along the route.

Footage of the incident shows Craddock, wearing the white and pink kit of the EF Education First-Drapac team on the outside of the peloton as they approach a left-hand bend, going straight on into a blue Nissan Micra parked at the side of the road.

>>> Primož Roglič withstnads Movistar pressure to seal Tour of the Basque Country overall victory

The American rider hits the front of the car before rolling up the windscreen and onto the roof, almost managing to land on his feet as he comes to ground on the pavement at the side of the car.

Although he didn’t finish the stage, Craddock was not seriously injured in the crash, with the car arguably coming off second best with a dent in the bonnet and a smashed windscreen.

Tweeting after the stage, Craddock said that the crash had been caused by an Euskadi-Murias rider discarding his water bottle in the middle of the bunch.

“BIG thanks to the man upstairs for letting me walk away from this one,” Craddock wrote. “To the Euskadi rider that thought it would be a bright idea to unload a bottle in the middle of the peloton while it’s raining – I think you owe this person a new windshield.”

He also tweeted a photo of the car after the crash, showing the broken windscreen and large bump in the bonnet.

The final stage of the Tour of the Basque Country was won by Quick-Step Floors’s Enric Mas, with Primož Roglič holding off Movistar attacks to claim the overall title.