Taaramae abandons Vuelta a España after being 'hit by team car'

Estonian Rein Taaramae abandons the Vuelta a España after reportedly being struck by a team car

Rein Taaramae (Sunada)
(Image credit: Yuzuru SUNADA)

Rein Taaramae was one of several riders to abandon the Vuelta a España on stage seven, but rather than struggling with illness or injury like the others, the Estonian was reportedly hit by a team car.

Taaramae was forced out if the race in the second half of the rolling stage to the Zamorra region, with his team Katusha reporting that he was 'hit by a team director's car'.

It's currently unsure whether it was a Katusha car that hit him, or that of another team, but the result was that Taaramae's bike was broken and he was forced out of the race.

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"Bad luck for Rein Taaramae. Hit by a team director's car in race. Bike broken. Rein had to abandon. He is OK," tweeted Katusha.

Igor Anton (Dimension Data), Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) and Niccolo Bonifazio (Trek-Segafredo) are the other riders to have abandoned with 20km to go on stage seven, adding to the handful of riders who have already dropped out of the race.

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Stuart Clarke is a News Associates trained journalist who has worked for the likes of the British Olympic Associate, British Rowing and the England and Wales Cricket Board, and of course Cycling Weekly. His work at Cycling Weekly has focused upon professional racing, following the World Tour races and its characters.