Cracked pelvis for Ten Dam, bruises for Cunego

Neither Damiano Cunego (Lampre Farnese-Vini), Laurens Ten Dam (Rabobank) or Jelle Vanendert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) will be at the start of the third stage of the Ruta del Sol Tuesday. All three were involved in a crash shortly before the finish line, with Ten Dam being the most seriously injured, cracking his pelvis.

With around 500 meters to go the three riders plus Linus Gerdemann (Milram) crashed over a crowd barrier which had been blown over by the wind and lay in the street.

Cunego, 28, suffered severe bruising to his right arm when he hit a barrier. “He suffered a major contusion to his right forearm, plus multiple abrasions to his elbow and arm,” his team reported. The 2004 Giro d'Italia winner will return home to Italy today for further medical checks. The bruises are expected to take about five days to heal.

Rabobank's Oscar Freire won the stage, but the team said that, “the concern over Laurens Ten Dam was greater than its joy over Oscar's win.” Ten Dam, 29, suffered a cracked pelvis in the crash. He will return home to the Netherlands as soon as possible. “Only then can the team management, in consultation with the medical staff, estimate the impact on Lauren's programme,” the team said.

Vanendert suffered head, facial and knee injuries and will not start. Gerdemann received some bruises but will start again today.