Although both riders were very sore after limping into the finish of today’s first stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné, it has been confirmed that Dan Martin (Garmin Barracuda) and Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel Euskadi) will each try to continue in the race tomorrow.
Both riders were assessed after reaching the line today in Saint-Vallier, and have been given a provisional go-ahead to continue. Ultimately, the outcome of further tests plus their own feelings tomorrow morning will determine if they are able to remain in the race, but that is the aim at this point in time.
Martin crashed hard 34 kilometres from the finish of today’s first road race stage of the race, and initial fears were that he might have damaged his collarbone.
However he was able to remount and to reach the finish, albeit sixteen minutes 39 seconds behind the winner Cadel Evans.
“Dan was able to finish the stage and afterward was transported by team medical staff to a local hospital for an exam,” Garmin Barracuda spokesperson Marya Pongrace told VeloNation this evening. “Initial x-rays show no fractures and Dan hopes to start tomorrow's stage, but he will continue be closely monitored by team physicians.”
A stage winner and 13th overall in last year’s Vuelta plus a top six finisher this year in the Volta a Catalunya, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Flèche Wallone, Garmin-Barracuda indicated before the Dauphiné that Martin looks likely to make his Tour de France debut this year.
The Dauphiné was both his final big preparation event and also a chance for him to seal his place; it remains to be seen if today’s crash will affect his place on that squad. However the fact that he looks likely to continue tomorrow will help things.
Meanwhile Sanchez crashed earlier in the stage, going down 47 kilometres after the start. Initial reports that he had pulled out proved to be unfounded, but he had to ride 140 kilometres to get to the end of the stage. He conceded 23 minutes 54 seconds and, like Martin, has had to wave goodbye to any GC ambitions.
Sanchez was extremely sore getting off his bike, with his back appearing to be locked up. He has a strong bruise to his ribs, although fortunately initial assessments appear to rule out fractures.
The team has said that he too wants to continue in the race, but a final decision will be taken tomorrow morning.
"The idea is clearly to try to stay in the race, because otherwise it would make no sense to have done 140 kilometres behind two team-mates to reach the end,” representatives of Euskaltel-Euskadi told BiciCiclismo.
"When we know the outcome of the tests are being done, a decision will be confirmed. There is no fracture, although he has a very sore body. The idea is to continue in the race.”
Third in the 2010 Tour de France, Sanchez won the Vuelta al Pais Vasco this season and was second in the Volta a Catalunya. He won stages in both events.