Fabian Cancellara, odds-on favourite to follow up his success at the Tour of Flanders last weekend by winning Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, has sustained his second crash in two days. Today's chute, which saw the rider land heavily on his left side was caught on film - you can watch it here.
Yesterday, the RadioShack-Leopard rider suffered some nasty looking road rash on his backside after coming down during the Scheldeprjs, while today’s chute happened during a recce ride on one of Paris-Roubaix’s fabled secteurs of pavé.
After the crash, which happened on the Waindignies-Hamage cobbled secteur, according to Het Nieuwsblad he got into the team car where he sat, with a disconsolate look on his face, with directeur sportive Dirk Demol, although he rejoined his team mates on the recce later on.
Speaking after yesterday’s crash, team manager Luca Guercilena said: Team manager Luca Guercilena: “It was a typical crash. Just a small touch of the wheels and he went down. We decided he could continue in the race and we are having the doctor take a look at him. We’ll see how he’s feeling tonight and tomorrow.
“Since the crash was as 60kph he was a bit uncomfortable in the race but was able to continue. His muscles were warm at the time of the accident so it was no real problem for him to go on.
“We will be doing some recon tomorrow and we believe we can stick with our same plan. We’re quite confident that everything will be fine. It’s not ideal, but it’s fine.”
Last Sunday, Cancellara made a stunning attack on the final ascent of the Paterberg to drop Peter Sagan and Jurgen Roelandts and time trial the final 13 kilometres to a stunning victory.
A week earlier, he had won the E3 Harelbeke with another solo attack, and that form has seen him installed as a red-hot favourite for Paris-Roubaix, a race he has won twice before.
Should the bookies be proved correct, Cancellara will emulate Tom Boonen’s achievement last year, when he became the first man to do the Flanders and Roubaix season double in two different years.
Boonen is out of Sunday’s race as he recovers from injuries sustained after crashing during the Tour of Flanders.
The team has not yet made a statement on today’s latest fall, although it has posted some pictures of the recce – including an upright Cancellara – on its website.
QUB has more than 20,000 students. Those 80 somewhat secure spaces are going to be putting in a lot of work. ...
Could it also be that the victim didnt have valid insurance/driving license or M.O.T so didnt report it in fear of themselves being investigated???...
You mean they called up one of their friends or family members to stump up the £7 to get it greenlit....
If the chains snap that is lack of build quality or material.....
"Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good."
His life was only worth shy of 7 years ,that's too lenient in every book .Let alone drugged up and leaving him to die
2 years suspended...
I came here to basically write the same thing, the floating bus stop near me has a very narrow cycling lane between a very narrow pavement and a...
It wasn't an official consultation meeting - see my comment above.
Right, well that could be handy: I'm going round with my baseball bat to have a quiet chat about ownership. You can use their names to see if they...