Mark Renshaw suffered a fractured collarbone and lost a tooth in the mass pile up in the final kilometre of today’s second stage of the Presidential Tour of Turkey, his Blanco Pro Cycling team has confirmed. The Australian was the first rider to come down in the incident, as he appeared to touch the wheel of teammate Graeme Brown at high speed; the two compatriots were the first two riders in the peloton and so most of those behind them were unable to avoid the incident.
Renshaw was treated at the scene, with his neck and arm strapped up by medical staff; he was then taken straight to hospital, where he was immediately diagnosed with concussion and the lost tooth. The Blanco team refused to comment on earlier media reports that he had fractured his collarbone, but subsequent examinations have confirmed this to be the case; he has also damaged muscles in his neck in the crash.
The Australian’s concussion means that he will remain in hospital for observation before travelling to the Netherlands. The collarbone will require surgery, which he will undergo in Amersfoort as soon as possible.
Also injured in the crash was Blanco sprinter Theo Bos, who was on Renshaw’s wheel at the time as the Australian was preparing to lead him into the sprint. The Dutch former track World champion was also taken to hospital with an injury to the upper part of his leg; examinations have confirmed that he has sustained no fractures, but has suffered a large haematoma.
The team has yet to confirm whether Bos will start tomorrow’s third stage, but it does seem unlikely.