News
Road

Injury report: Gasparotto out with fractured collarbone

By Cycling News

published 19 August 2012

No serious injuries from Garmin-Sharp crash

Comments

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Image 1 of 5

Enrico Gasparotto (Astana)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Thomas Dekker (Garmin-Sharp) shows off his injuries from the stage one crash(Image credit: Thomas Dekker)

Enrico Gasparotto (Astana) is leaving the Vuelta with triple collarbone fracture(Image credit: Enrico Gasparotto)

Enrico Gasparotto (Pro Team Astana) takes the win(Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Thomas Dekker (Garmin-Barracuda)(Image credit: Fabrice Lambert/sportbreizh.com)

Enrico Gasparotto of Astana is the first to abandon the 2012 Vuelta a Espana, the victim of a crash in the opening team time trial. Garmin-Sharp also suffered a large crash, but it appeared that there were no serious injuries.

Gasparotto wins Amstel stunner

Gasparotto draws on experience to win Amstel Gold Race

Gasparotto extends Astana contract

Thomas Dekker says 2012 Tour de France too early for him

Dekker to Vuelta a Espana, reversing earlier decision

Gasparotto is leaving the Vuelta “a bit too early ... broken collarbone in 3 places ... bad luck?” he tweeted late Saturday night. He was one of four Astana riders who crashed in the last half of the stage. His teammate Paolo Tiralongo also went to hospital after the stage with a sore hip, but the extent of his injuries are not known.

The team had been in a promising second place at the intermediate time check, but the crash caused them to finish only eleventh, 34 seconds behind winning team Movistar. "Today's result is not important. It is much more important to know how Tiralongo and Gasparotto are doing,” said team manager Giuseppe Martinelli on the team website.

Gasparotto rode the stage to the end, but finished over the time limit.

Garmin-Sharp saw three riders hit the pavement, due to a patch of oil at a sharp left-hand turn within the last five kilometers. Thomas Dekker suffered the most damage, tweeting Sunday morning that he had abrasions and a swollen knee. He is expected to be at the start.

“The consequences don't seem to go beyond a bit of skin,” said sporting director Alan Peiper. “It's a small mistake which hurt us. It's a shame because we had a good start.”