Strongman Osa out of Pais Vasco

Although Liberty Seguros-Würth rider Alberto Contador is on equal time with yesterday's stage winner and overall leader Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, the team lost one of their strongest men in Aitor Osa, who fractured his wrist in a high speed crash earlier in the day.

The mishap occurred on the descent of the Alto de Ortzuarte after approximately 20 kilometres, which also brought down Team CSC's Fränk Schleck and Frenchman Maxime Monfort (Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone). Osa continued and re-caught the peloton, while Schleck abandoned with concussion and Monfort was diagnosed with a broken clavicle.

A number of pundits believed Osa to be the strongest rider in this year's race, and although the 32 year-old finished the stage to Lerín in 12th place, only eight seconds behind Sanchez, he was taken to a hospital in Pamplona for observation, where it was revealed he suffered a fractured wrist on his right arm.