Fominykh fractures vertabrae after crashing into a ravine

Astana's Daniil Fominykh fractured two lumbar vertebrae in a frightening crash that the sent the 24-year-old from Kazakhstan over a guard rail and down a ravine during the final stage of Paris-Nice, according to a statement on the team website.

Fominykh missed a turn on a section of the route between L'Escarene and Grave de Peille and fell several meters into the ravine, according to nicematin.com. The road was shutdown for the duration of the rescue effort, which required 10 policemen, three motos 10 firefighters and a "perilous environment response" unit.

The team said Fominykh will be out of competition for at least a month.

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Fominykh, who has been with Astana since the 2014 season, started his year at the Dubai Tour before heading to France for La Méditerranéenne where he finished 28th overall.