31st January 2019
Picture: Photo Gomez Sport
Basque climber from Movistar Team involved in pile-up, 15km from Puig de Sant Salvador uphill finish; will require surgery to fix right-hand shoulder
A pile-up in the bunch with 15km remaining in the Trofeo Ses Salines – Puig de Sant Salvador, opening race of the Challenge Mallorca and the 2019 Spanish pro cycling season, left out of the race one of the Movistar Team’s biggest names, Mikel Landa.
The Basque rider suffered a significant blow to his right-hand shoulder, which forced him to abandon and be transferred by ambulance to a medical center near Palma. The radiological exams undergone by the Spaniard confirmed a collarbone fracture, which will require surgery in the 48 hours following his arrival home in Álava on Friday.
The race, which had been much under the Blues’ control up to that point, was split as a result of the crash, with a 30-man peloton in the lead soon anticipated by moves from Gonçalves (TKA) and Martin (WGG), just before the final climb, and eventual winner Jesús Herrada (COF), right before the end.
Behind Herrada finished, inside a selected pursuit group, the World Champion Alejandro Valverde, who kicked off his 2019 season with a promising 4th place. The Spaniard, who is expected to cover the first three Challenge trophies this week, will have another chance to show his rainbow colours on the way to Lloseta, Friday (172km).
