Source : ABC NEWS
A female spectator is receiving treatment in hospital following a crash at the Tour Down Under on Saturday night.
Italian rider Andrea Raccagni of Soudal Quick-Step appeared to clip the inside barrier during the final high-speed corner of the Villawood Classic, sliding across the the road and knocking several riders into the barriers.
“During the final lap of Saturday evening’s Villawood Men’s Classic for the Santos Tour Down Under, a crash involving a number of riders resulted in a collision with the barrier at high speed,” tour organisers said in a statement.
“Sadly, as a result of the collision, a female spectator suffered injuries and was taken to hospital where she is currently being treated. We are unable to go into the extent of her injuries at this stage.
“We are in contact with the spectator’s family and have offered our support.
“Our thoughts are with the spectator and their family, as well as the riders impacted by the incident.”
There was no immediate word on how many riders overshot the corner and hit the barricades.
One race official said some riders had taken the last corner about 20 kilometres per hour faster than on previous laps.
“On that last corner, I was pretty close to the barriers there,” winner Sam Welsford told the Seven Network.
“I checked underneath (my arm), and I saw it was pretty strung out, and I had maybe a metre, so … I just went as hard as I could. The rest is history.
“It was a super-fast corner. We hit it really fast. If you were going through there quite wide, anything could happen.”
Italian Manilo Moro was the only cyclist not to finish the one-hour race because of the crash.
He looked the worse for wear as Movistar team staff helped him back to the team pits several minutes after the race had ended.
New Zealand sprinter Campbell Stewart, who rides for the Australian Jayco AlUla team, was also seen nursing his right hand as he slowly rode to the team pits post-race.
AAP/ABC
