Bardiani-CSF lead out man loses his sprinter but is one of few to get around the pile-up
Sacha Modolo (Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox) was one of the first riders to be brought down in the crash at the end of stage two of the Tour of Turkey, positioned as he was on the wheel of Blanco’s Theo Bos. It was Bos’ Blanco teammates Mark Renshaw and Graeme Brown that appeared to touch wheels at the very front of the peloton and, as the former track World champion went down, Modolo (pictured) had nowhere to go.
”I was in good place for the mass sprint but in the first position two riders of Team Blanco touched their wheels caused the big crash,’ Modolo explained after the stage. “I was behind them, I tried to brake but the riders behind me literally submerged me and I finished up under a lot of bikes.”
Renshaw suffered a number of injuries, including a lost tooth, concussion and a fractured collarbone, while Bos suffered a serious thigh haematoma. Modolo was far less seriously hurt, but his own continued participation in the race is now uncertain.
“I’m lucky that I have only some bruises on the body. However I need to wait tomorrow and see how I feel”.
Although the Italian ‘green team’ lost its principle sprinter in the pile up, the result was not a total disaster for Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox, as Marco Coledan was one of the few riders near the front of the peloton to avoid the incident. The 24-year-old was seemingly heading for his maiden professional victory, but the sprint was a long one and he was overhauled by Orica-GreenEdge’s Aidis Kruopis in the final hundred metres.
“We have worked very well for Sacha until the final kilometre but this big crash changed our strategy,” Coledan said. “I saw a space to pass the crash on the right side of the road and I found myself in first position but wasn’t enough to avoid the comeback of Kruopis who chased and passed me.
“Exhausted I defended the 2nd place against [Lotto-Belisol’s André] Greipel. It’s pity because I was so close to the my first pro win, but the shape is good so I’ll try again the next stages.”
Modolo was one of the last riders to cross the finish line but, because the crash occurred within the final three kilometres, he was given the same time as Kruopis. He now sits in a large group of riders ten seconds behind new race leader Greipel but, thanks to the time bonus he received for his second place, Coledan now sits in fourth place, just four seconds behind.