Adam Yates has withdrawn from the Giro d’Italia after showing “delayed concussive symptoms” following a heavy fall during a crash on Saturday.
UAE Team Emirates trio Yates, Jay Vine, and Marc Soler were among over two dozen riders to be involved in the incident, which occurred on a fast right-hander in wet conditions with 20km remaining of stage two.
Yates, one of the general classification (GC) favourites, remounted his bike to finish the stage despite visible wounds across his face, but he will not start Sunday’s stage from Plovdiv to Sofia.
Vine, meanwhile, was taken into an ambulance on a stretcher.
Yates had finished 13 minutes and 46 seconds behind the main group, while UAE Team Emirates team-mates Vine and Marc Soler could not cross the finish line and were forced to abandon.
“Jay Vine suffered a concussion and an elbow fracture and Marc Soler has a pelvic fracture,” said team medical director Dr. Adrian Rotunno. “At this stage, neither should require surgery.
“Adam Yates suffered a heavy abrasions and a laceration to his left ear. He was initially assessed on site for concussion, and cleared to continue, but subsequently he has shown delayed concussive symptoms. He will not take the start of stage 3 today.
“All three are under observation of our medical staff and will travel home in the coming days to continue their recovery and rehab.”
Saturday’s stage was only the second of the three-week grand tour and spanned 221km from the Bulgaria’s east coast back inland, starting at Burgas and finishing at Veliko Tarnovo.
The crash occurred on wet roads after several riders slipped out when navigating a fast right-hander with 20 kilometers left, those behind unable to avoid the fallers. They fell at high-speed into motorway crash barriers, many riders hitting the stanchions heavily.
Other high-profile riders to fall included Derek Gee-West, Santiago Buitrago, and Remi Cavagna. Uno-X rider Ådne Holter was the third rider to abandon after failing a concussion check, while Bahrain Victorious later confirmed that Santiago Buitrago Sanchez was also not able to finish.
Race organisers initially neutralised the race for around ten minutes before restarting with 15km remaining. Pre-race favourite Jonas Vingegaard immediately attacked on the following climb, with only Giulio Pellizzari and Lennert Van Eetvelt able to follow.
The stage finished in a bunch sprint, with XDS Astana’s Guillermo Thomas Silva getting his first grand tour stage win.
