Several riders crashed in a semi-level section during stage 4 (Merced – Clovis), and again shortly after, of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California. The first crash involved Aaron Olson (Colovita), Floyd Landis (OUCH), Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and Kim Kirchen (Columbia), with Freire and Kirchen staying on the ground for a long time—later abandoning the race.
While Olson and Landis continued, Kirchen was taken off in a stretcher to the hospital (with a suspected broken collar bone), while Freire’s injuries are unknown. Certainly a change to the riders’ race and Spring objectives, as well as to Rabobank’s and Columbia’s race objectives. Freire and Kirchen were expected to animate the race more in the stages to come, with Freire also taking second in yesterday’s stage to Modesto.
The second crash involved Pedro Horrillo (Rabobank), Christain Vande Velde (Garmin) and several others, while all re-mounted their bikes, Vande Velde was holding his left knee and retreated to the race doctor’s car. Other riders and possible injuries are unknown at this time, but all involved were back up and continued.
All abandons, stage results and details are updated here as soon as possible.
Filed under: RIDER NEWS, Stage Races | Tagged: Christian Vande Velde, 2009 Amgen Tour of California, Amgen Tour of California, Tour of California, 2009 Tour of California, Oscar Freire, Kim Kirchen, Floyd Landis
