Mouris to leave Orica-GreenEdge, Breschel abandons Eneco Tour, Fischer extends with FDJ
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Gorka Izagirre (Movistar)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Matti Breschel (Tinkoff-Saxo) became separated from his bike(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Izagirre brothers cross the line together(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Jens Mouris (Oirca-GreenEdge) on the cobbles(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Murilo Fischer (FDJ) paid tribute to Ayrton Senna today with a custom helmet as the Giro finished on the Imola track where Senna was tragically killed in an accident 21 years ago(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Movistar's Gorka Izagirre abandons Eneco Tour after colliding with traffic signal
Gorka Izagirre (Movistar) abandoned the Eneco Tour during the third stage Wednesday after colliding with a traffic signal and hitting his head.
Izagirre was transported to a nearby hospital, where a medical check revealed no serious injuries, according to a statement released by his team.
"He has some bruises and a blow in his left-side temple and also feels a bit dizzy and in pain, but it's not dangerous at all," said José Luis Laguía from the hospital. "He's coming back to the team hotel with me and [sports director] José Luis Jaimerena, with no other checks expected."
The incident took place about 50km into the 170km stage from Beveren to Ardooie.
Izagirre was "always conscious, yet bewildered," according to the team statement, which said the Basque allrounder responded to all stimulus from Jaimerena and the race doctors before being transported to the hospital.
Gorka Izagirre (Movistar) signs in before the race. (Bettini)
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Mouris set to leave Orica-GreenEdge
One day after compatriot Pieter Weening confirmed he would be leavingOrica-GreenEdge after four seasons, Jens Mouris has announced that he will be moving on from the Australian WorldTour team at the end of the year. The 35-year-old is currently racing the Eneco Tour with Orica-GreenEdge.
Mouris' management, SEG Racing, confirmed the Dutchman is leaving the team and has signed on for 2016 but are yet to announce who that team is but have ruled out the Dutch pro-Continental Roompot outfit.
Breschel abandons Eneco Tour after high speed crash
Matti Breschel has been forced to abandon the Eneco Tour one day after a high speed crash in the final kilometre saw him hit the deck and suffer multiple abrasions. Tinkoff-Saxo's sports director Patxi Vila explained the Dane pulled out of the race to focus on his recovery ahead of upcoming goals.
"Matti finally stopped today during the stage after the team and he took the decision," Vila said. "He had pain and it didn’t make sense to continue. In a situation like this, although he could have fought his way through the stage, it’s wiser to rest and recover. We’re sad to see him go but when you have a crash like that it would just be postponing the recovery, if he had continued. Now he will rest and return at Vattenfall Cyclassics later in August.
"Matti has made a great performance the last weeks in Wallonie and with stage wins in Denmark. He then had a day to recover before Eneco before he was forced to the ground in the crash. We’ve praised him for this effort but we also have other cards to play starting tomorrow."
Another year at FDJ for Fischer
Murilo Fischer has extended his contract with the French WorldTour FDJ team into 2016. The 36-year-old joined the team at the end of 2012, riding all three of the grand tours in his two seasons with the squad as a domestique. The Brazilian has ridden at the top level of the sport since 2007 when he was with Liquigas, moving onto Garmin before joining FDJ. Fischer's last race was the Tour de Pologne which he withdrew from after stage 5.
