Two injured for Davitamon-Lotto

Vasseur also out

The Davitamon-Lotto team lost two key men in the lead-up to the Oude Kwaremont yesterday: Wim Vansevenant and Johan Vansummeren, who crashed into each other and abandoned the race. Vansevenant had to be taken to hospital in Oudenaarde where he was diagnosed with a small break and a large wound in his left elbow. He was operated on under general anaesthetic, and will be out for several weeks. Vansummeren escaped with bruises and abrasions, and did not break anything. Cédric Vasseur (Cofidis) was the third rider involved in the crash, and broke his shoulder.

"We'll lick our wounds and see who we can put in the lineup for Paris-Roubaix," a disappointed Marc Sergeant, Davitamon-Lotto team manager, told the Belgian VUM newspapers. "At a certain moment in the race, I really didn't see things positively any more. Just before the Kwaremont we lost Vansevenant and Vansummeren, and a bit later Steegmans got a rock against his leg. He couldn't turn the pedals for a while... then we were five.

"It looked bad but we were able to adjust to the situation and got back into the race. It could have been better because Van Bon was able to follow when Ballan attacked; but then he went out on a bend a bit later. We would have had that extra rider at the front if that hadn't happened. But yeh, he should have stayed on the road. Van Petegem tried, but Tom countered and kept going."