Daniele Colli suffered a horrible looking arm injury(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Doctors tend to Danielle Colli (Nippo Fantani)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Daniele Colli (Nippo Fantani)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The stage 4 podium: Daniele Colli (Nippo - Vini Fantini), André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) and Daniele Ratto (UnitedHealthcare)(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Alberto Contador may have been the biggest name to hit the deck in the finale of the Giro d'Italia's stage six but it was Nippo-Vini Fantini's Daniele Colli who was the worst off of the fallen. The 33-year-old was the only rider to record a DNF for the stage as he suffered a bad looking broken left humerus and was transported via ambulance to the Grosseto for an immediate operation on the arm.
"I'm ok, I want to assure all my friends and fans that I have not yet called," Colli said in a team press release. "About the accident I remember that I have been hit by something when I was in the sprint and then I was on the ground with my arm in unnatural position. I was really scared also because I didn't feel the arm as I was no more perceptive."
The high-speed crash took place in sight of the finish line caused by what looked like a spectator leaning out into the road with a camera and a zoom lens to capture of photo of the fast approaching peloton.
Nippo-Vini Fantini general manager Francesco Pelosi expressed his anger at the actions of the fan for causing the accident.
"The good of cycling is that is a sport in which the public is really close with their champions and this is the magic. But for this reason the public and his fans must be the first guardians of the security and safety of the riders," Pelosi said. "The person who did this to Daniele is unconscious, unconcerned of the safety of the riders and do a lot of bad to a sport that do not want to put barriers between public and riders.
"For this accident today Daniele will be operated on and will have a two month stop, He will not be able to finish is Giro d'Italia, for which he worked hard for 8 months to be ready in the pink race. The barriers at have to protect riders must not by overtake from any fan or the security of the riders, heroes of strain and dedication to the sport."
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"We can't punish 20,000 people because of the actions of one person," he said, with a degree of resignation.
Colli made his grand tour and Giro debut last year before registering a DNF on stage 16 to Val Martello/Martelltal, the now infamous 'Stelvio gate' stage won by Nairo Quintana (Movistar).
Watch the video below to see the moment a fan causes the big stage 6 crash at the Giro d'Italia and click here to subscribe to the Cyclingnews video channel
