Driver caused crash that injured Cavagna, Vansevenant

A driver caused the crash that injured Deceuninck-Quickstep riders Rémi Cavagna and Mauri Vansevenant, according to the Belgian.

The 22-year-old flew back to Belgium and was fitted with a brace for his broken thumb, but Cavagna remains in the IMSKE Hospital in Valencia with a fractured L1 vertebra.

According to Het Laatste Nieuws, the Frenchman is likely going to undergo surgery on Monday but there was no evidence of neurological damage.

"Unlike Rémi, the damage is all in all not too bad for me and I don't have to undergo any surgery," Vansevenant said.

Initial reports offered few details of the crash, but like the crash of Androni Giocattoli riders Brandon Rojas, Juan Diego Alba and Martì Vigo, the Quickstep riders were taken down by a bad driver.

“We had just taken some group photos in our new 2022 outfits and were continuing on a slightly downhill two-lane track," Vansevenant said. “Suddenly a small car was ignoring the right-of-way rules and coming onto the main road from a side path. We had to slam the on brakes but three riders, including Rémi and I, couldn't avoid a crash.”

He said his injury, which will take three to four weeks to heal, is unpleasant but looked on the bright side. “Luckily my legs were not hit and I can more or less maintain my condition. The second team camp, at the beginning of January, will certainly not be in jeopardy.”