Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) will not start the tenth stage of the Giro d’Italia, between Civitavecchia and Assisi, this morning after fracturing the scaphoid bone of his right wrist in the crash at the end of stage nine. The former Italian champion collided with red jersey wearer Matt Goss (Orica-GreenEdge) on the final, sharp corner with 350 metres to go, bringing them both down, as well as host of other sprinters behind them.
Pozzato admitted immediately afterwards that it had been him that caused the crash: "It was my fault, I admit that I'm the first to criticise those who risk too much,” he said.
Although he had pain in his wrist, he had intended to start the stage today, until medical checks this morning have ruled it out.
"Filippo has a right scaphoid fracture. After the instrumental tests of this morning performed at the Siligato Clinic, with hand so swollen, we decided that it is better to withdraw,” explained Daniele Tarsi, official doctor of the Farnese Vini Selle Italia team. “Because Filippo could not hold the handlebars, is unable to close his hand and has severe pain at the touch of the hand, we prefer to give up the idea of riding, which would only risk worsening the situation.”
With the crash happening at a relatively low speed, as everybody slowed for the 300 degree turn, injuries have been thankfully light with Pozzato’s the only reported fracture. Goss suffered a haematoma to his hip, but is expected to continue without too many problems.
The fractured scaphoid is the second broken bone suffered by Pozzato this season, after a broken collarbone sustained in the Tour of Qatar threatened to derail his Classics season. After an operation to fix a plate to the broken bone - and remove one from the opposite side, from a previous injury - the Italian was racing again at the Trofeo Laigueglia, just nine days after his crash.
It’s doubtful that the latest injury to his wrist will allow him to return quite so quickly, but - after waving his teammates off in Civitavecchia this morning - Pozzato will return to his home in Monaco for convalescence, and will doubtless be in action again soon.