Having taken his first win of the season yesterday and starting today’s second stage of the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe as the race leader, Russian rider Denis Galimzyanov experienced a low after those highs when he crashed heavily.
The Katusha competitor fell inside the final ten kilometres of the morning stage to Angers. “It happened because of a slippery road caused by strong rain,” his team said in a statement.
Instead of fighting for a second win, as had been his intention, Galimzyanov’s race ended at that moment. He was forced to withdraw and has been told that he must rest for a week under medical observation.
The fall cause him numerous cuts as well as a large bruise in his abdominal region, close to his kidneys.
Galimzyanov is regarded as one of Russia’s top young sprinters. Last year marked a breakthrough for the 25 year old, who won Paris-Brussels, took a stage plus the points classification in the Tour of Beijing and also picked up stages in the Three Days of De Panne and the Tour of Luxembourg.
He is competing alongside Oscar Freire this season and is aiming to learn as much as possible from the triple world champion before he retires at the end of the year.
It's not immediately clear when he will return to competition.
Garmin Barracuda's Mickel Kreder won today's morning stage in the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe, while Luke Durbridge (GreenEdge) seized the race lead from Sacha Modolo (Colnago CSF Bardiani) when he took the afternoon time trial.