Having lost Kanstantsin Siutsou yesterday due to a broken tibia, Sky Procycling had a moment of panic today when both world champion Mark Cavendish and his leadout man Bernhard Eisel fell heavily in the finale of stage four. However the team has confirmed that both riders escaped serious injury, and that they will be able to take to the start tomorrow.
The crash happened just under three kilometres to go, beginning when Eisel clipped the wheel of the rider in front of him and hit the deck. Cavendish was very close and also fell, as did a number of others. The world champion sat on the ground for some time afterwards, looking dazed, then got up and rode slowly in to the finish.
His rainbow jersey was tattered in places and burned with a black stain from the ground. Eisel was bloodied but his injuries were largely limited to his right eyebrow, which needed stitching.
“It was certainly not what we wanted to see," said directeur sportif Sean Yates. “The lead-up to a sprint is very dangerous and we see this kind of thing time and time again. Nobody wants to see crashes for anybody and we were among the victims again today.
“There wasn’t a lot of room there in the bunch. At that speed with a touch of wheels, before you know it you are lying on the deck. The guys are battered and bruised but they will fight on. These guys are tough. We saw Cav jump back up after his accident at the Giro.
Team doctor Alan Farrell said that despite the initial scare, the team has determined that both riders should be fine. “Both Cav and Bernie had heavy crashes but luckily all their injuries seem relatively superficial and there are no broken bones,” he explained.
“We are just taking them back to the hotel for further assessment and to look after their wounds but we are very hopeful in terms of the prognosis and outlook.”
While Cavendish will be bruised and may not have a comfortable night’s sleep, the biggest pain for him may be the loss in points and, potentially, a second stage win. He is tussling with Peter Sagan for the Maillot Vert and by his missing out on the final sprint, the Slovakian was able to pull further ahead than he otherwise would have.
The Liquigas Cannondale rider is on 147 points, while Cavendish is fourth on 86 points.
Tomorrow’s stage from Rouen to St-Quentin is a flat one and could give him the chance to bounce back with a stage victory.