Pascal Ackermann suffers extensive abrasions and bruises on his right side at Giro d'Italia crash
May 22 2019 03:03 am CET
Photo of Pascal Ackermann ©Bora-hansgrohe / VeloImages
Pascal Ackermann (Bora-hansgrohe) was involved in the last-kilometre crash of the Giro d'Italia's 10th stage. The rider couldn't take part in the final sprint, which was won by Arnaud Demare.
Ackermann hit the deck just after the flamme rouge, which stopped him from participating in the bunch sprint. The German national champion took some points in an intermediate sprint that allowed him to keep the lead of the points classification, in which he is one point ahead of Demare.
"I recovered on the first rest day and had good legs again," the rider commented. "We wanted to play a bit of poker on the stage so that more pressure would be on the other sprinter teams. During the last 5 km, we came to the front.
"At the 1000m to go mark, everything went by so fast, so I don't really know what happened, and I could not react in time. The crash was heavy, and I sustained a few abrasions and contusions, but thankfully I can continue to ride. We'll see how it goes tomorrow, but these are the demands of a Grand Tour, and you just have to take such setbacks as they come."
Examinations after the stage showed that the rider suffered extensive abrasions on the right side of his body, but doesn't have any fractures or other serious injuries.
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