Belgian rider Kris Boeckmans has been placed in an induced coma after being one of a number of riders badly injured in a crash-ridden Stage 8 of Spain’s Vuelta a Espana, his Lotto Soudal team confirmed.
“The 28-year-old rider has a severe facial trauma with several fractures, he’ll probably need surgery,” Lotto Soudal said in a statement.
“Boeckmans also has a concussion, three broken ribs and had a bleeding in his lung. The doctors will now keep him in an induced coma for a few days.”
Boeckmans was caught in a major pile-up around 50 kilometres from the finish which also saw Ireland’s Dan Martin, American rider Tejay van Garderen and France’s Nacer Bouhanni forced to withdraw from the race.
“The Belgian was operated on last night at the Virgen de la Arrixaca hospital in Murcia. He is stable and the doctors will evaluate the option of bringing him out of the induced coma tomorrow,” race organisers said on Sunday.
“I was riding just behind him when it happened,” said his Lotto Soudal teammate Tosh Van der Sande.
“He was drinking when he rode over a hole, tumbled over his handlebar and hit the ground very hard.”
Jasper Stuyven went on to win the stage despite also suffering a broken bone in his wrist in the crash.
Stage 3 winner Peter Sagan was also injured after being hit by an auxiliary motorcycle on a chaotic day with his Tinkoff-Saxo team threatening to take legal action against the parties involved.
Sagan was just the latest high-profile withdrawal from the Vuelta.
Sagan, who had ended a two-year drought without a Grand Tour win on Stage 3, looked set to challenge for another stage victory and held the green points jersey until the incident took place just over eight kilometres from the finish.
“Tinkoff-Saxo announces that, unfortunately, the team’s co-leader at the Vuelta a Espana cannot safely continue to race and will instead return home to recover,” the Russian team said in a statement on Sunday.
“Sagan was hit by a reckless auxiliary motorbike in the final kilometres of Stage 8 and suffered wounds and burns of first and second degree on the left side of his body, from the hip to the lower leg. In addition, he has a contusion on his left forearm with an intra-muscular haematoma.”
Tinkoff-Saxo also said on Saturday that they would explore taking legal action against the parties that caused the crash.
“Unfortunately, it isn’t the first time such an incident happens,” said Sagan.
“Even if motorbikes are forced to go through a group of riders, they should do it very carefully and not recklessly. In my opinion, motorbike drivers don’t take the safety of the riders in consideration seriously.”
The race continues on Sunday with a 168.3km ride from Torrevieja to Cumbre del Sol, Benitatxell.
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