‘Carnage’ – Huge crash on speed bump after David Dekker fall sends riders flying at Vuelta a Burgos finish

A huge crash over a speed bump just 500m from the finish line marred the second stage of the Vuelta a Burgos.

With riders picking up pace on a downhill section ahead of a sprint finish, Jumbo-Visma’s David Dekker lost control over the raised crossing and fell to the ground.

Others went down in his wake, including David Ballerini (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl), who was one of several riders sent flying into one of the barriers by the side of the road.

AG2R Citroen’s Damien Touze also hit the barriers and his team say he is being “assisted by the race medical support”. Quick-Step are yet to issue an update on Ballerini.

“A huge crash over the speed bump,” said Rob Hatch on Eurosport commentary.

“This is an absolute disaster at the Vuelta a Burgos. Carnage in the final 500m.”

The pile-up ended any chances of a bunch sprint and instead it was a Jumbo-Visma 1-2-3 as Timo Roosen won from Edoardo Affini and Chris Harper.

“It was really hectic already, and we took the front, Affini just pulled full-gas and it was an all-out effort,” said Roosen.

“There was some speed bump out of nowhere, I didn’t really see it. I heard something behind me, but I didn’t know what happened. I looked behind me and I thought it was David, and then I heard he had crashed. I went to the final corner at 250m and just sprinted to the line. Because of the crash I was there and I could win.

“It’s a nice one to have on the palmares, but I hope to have it a different way.

“I heard it was a big crash, I didn’t see anything. It’s not the most beautiful way to win a race.”

Dekker wrote on social media: “I am okay considering what happened.

“Seems nothing is broken, except my moral[e], but I have a lot of wounds.

“I did not see the speed bump coming up and with that high speed in a downhill section I lost complete control.

“I sincerely hope everybody involved is okay and will recover soon. Thank you for all your messages.”

Race leader Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain-Victorious) was held up by the crash but finished unscathed and lost no time. He holds a three-second lead over EF’s Ruben Guerreiro, Ineos Grenadiers’ Tao Geoghegan Hart and Bora-Hansgrohe’s Jai Hindley.

There was another crash towards the finish of the fifth stage of the Tour of Poland.

Rather than a speed bump, it was a twisting finish that led to Jumbo-Visma’s Olav Kooij crashing and causing a pile-up behind.

Bahrain-Victorious’ Phil Bauhaus beat FDJ’s Arnaud Demare and DSM’s Nikias Arndt in a reduced bunch sprint.

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