Evenepoel blames Groves for Giro d'Italia crash, Alpecin defend Australian sprinter

SAN SALVO ITALY MAY 07 LR Ilan Van Wilder of Belgium and Remco Evenepoel of Belgium and Team Soudal Quick Step Pink Leader Jersey react after the 106th Giro dItalia 2023 Stage 2 a 202km stage from Teramo to San Salvo UCIWT on May 07 2023 in San Salvo Italy Photo by Tim de WaeleGetty Images
Ilan van Wilder, who had been caught behind the stage 2 crash, talks to race leader and Soudal-QuickStep teammate Remco Evenepoel after the finish (Image credit: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

Alpecin-Deceuninck have defended Australian sprinter Kaden Groves after Giro d’Italia leader Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) said he thought Groves had sparked a mass crash late in stage 2 on Sunday.

Dozens of riders were held up by the crash, which took place at 3.8 kilometres from the finish in San Salvo, and several fell. All 176 riders in the 2023 Giro peloton were subsequently able to complete the stage.

Alasdair Fotheringham

Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The IndependentThe GuardianProCycling, The Express and Reuters.