Nibali's season ends with Lombardy crash

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Vincenzo Nibali has reported no serious injury from the crash that ended his Tour of Lombardy prematurely on Sunday and brought the curtain down on his 2013 season. The Italian fell on the approach to the Colma di Sormano with Astana teammate Paolo Tiralongo and immediately realised that both his race and his season were over.

“This crash is due to a narrowing in the road that wasn’t signalled,” Nibali told Gazzetta dello Sport. “Everybody was moving in from the right-hand side without braking. I thought I’d managed to get through it but instead they collided with me.”

While Nibali had managed to remount and finish in 4th place after a crash at last week’s rain-soaked world championships road race in Florence, this time around it was quickly clear that he would be unable to continue. After climbing gingerly to his feet, a limping Nibali took the decision to abandon.

“I had to go from 40kph to zero in one second. I fell on the same left leg that I hurt in Florence and I wasn’t able to bend it. I immediately understood that my Tour of Lombardy was finished,” Nibali said.

Nibali travelled directly to Manzoni Hospital in Lecco for a check-up, and reported nothing more than cuts to his left hip, knee and ankle. For his part, Tiralongo sustained abdominal trauma and multiple abrasions. “At least the season is over, because I’m fed up of getting injured,” said Tiralongo, who already suffered crashes at Strade Bianche, the Giro d’Italia and on the eve of the Vuelta a España.

“Vincenzo fell on his hip and needed to be examined, but he is fine,” said Astana team doctor Andrea Andreazzoli. “Paolo Tiralongo suffered more serious abrasions and a bruise to his abdomen. Later in the race Francesco Gavazzi came down on a wet descent, so in total we had three crashes today.”

Nibali ends his season to date with victories at the Giro d’Italia, Tirreno-Adriatico and Giro del Trentino, as well as second place overall at the Vuelta and fourth at the Worlds.

“I really regret that I didn’t end the season with any more victories,” Nibali told Gazzetta. “Above all, because here – like in Florence – I was feeling very good. But you can’t do anything against bad luck.”