Phinney was among a half dozen riders who tumbled to the pavement with 125 meters to go after Roberto Ferrari crossed wheels with world road champion Mark Cavendish. Phinney couldn’t avoid the carnage and tumbled onto his right side. “You don’t see a lot of crashes like that in the last kilometer, especially the last couple hundred meters,” Phinney said. “Where I was, I thought I was safe. I was staying up there near the front and was protected really well by the team. I hit the ground really hard and also must have had something hit me, because I have a little stab wound in my ankle.” For his irregular riding, race commissaires relegated Ferrari to last place on the stage, which was won by Matthew Goss (Orica-GreenEDGE Cycling Team). BMC Racing Team’s Thor Hushovd was sixth in the 190-kilometer race.
Podium Appearance Important
After remaining on the ground for several minutes, Phinney was helped into a rescue squad and his right ankle bandaged. Though he was not required by race rules to physically cross the finish line since the mishap occurred in the final three kilometers, Phinney said he was feeling better and wanted to make an appearance on the podium. “I wanted to show the fans and the public and my family watching at home that I was OK,” he said. “I felt like it was important to do that, to come back.” BMC Racing Team Assistant Director Fabio Baldato said Phinney will join the rest of the team on a charter flight Monday night from Denmark to Italy. “Team President Jim Ochowicz and our race doctor, Dario Spinelli, will go with Taylor to a hospital in Verona tonight and we’ll have an update afterwards,” Baldato said.
