British rider Tom Pidcock has been withdrawn from the Volta a Catalunya following injuries sustained in a horror crash during the fifth stage on Friday.
Pidcock went off the road after misjudging a corner, hurtling down a ravine and admitted he was lucky to still be able to talk into his radio so that he could be found.
Although the Pinarello-Q36.5 rider was able to get back on his bike and complete the stage, after medical assessments with his team and also at hospital, it was determined Pidcock could not resume the race.
“Due to his crash he suffered injuries, most likely bone and ligament damage in particular to his right knee and also right wrist,” Pinarello-Q36.5’s chief medical team doctor Lorenz Emmert said.
“Unfortunately we had to make the decision to take him out of the race. Further clinical evaluation and imaging will follow in the next days additionally to the already-initiated healing process.”
Pidcock, a two-time Olympic cross-country mountain bike champion, is now set to remain under close observation in the coming days as further evaluations take place.
Describing the crash, the 26-year-old said: “I was drinking on the descent and misjudged a corner. I am lucky I could talk on the radio. I was far from the road and nobody knew I was there. 60km/h off a mountain road and I’m relatively OK.
“We did everything to try to make it to the start (of Saturday’s stage six), but it’s not possible. I fought to finish the stage yesterday to make sure I had the option to continue. Now the focus is on recovery, and I’ll be back.”
Pidcock has been in sterling form this season, winning the Milano-Torino race and finishing second in the prestigious Milan-San Remo behind world champion Tadej Pogacar this month.
