Australian national champion Nicole Frain (Parkhotel Valkenburg) made it through stage 2 of the Tour de France Femmes despite coming down in a horrific crash in the latter half of the stage to Provins on Monday.
The 29-year-old was caught up in a crash inside 30km to go and was chasing back on when she ran into FDJ-SUEZ Futuroscope's Marta Cavalli, who had stopped behind a second wreck.
Frain careened off of Cavalli, who hit the ground hard, and was launched over the crashed riders, landing hard. Although both riders got back up and started riding, FDJ withdrew Cavalli from the race out of concern for her well-being. She remains under medical supervision with a head injury, according to her team.
Immediately after the stage, Frain said she carried speed into the peloton thinking there was a gap. "I thought I was going to make it through. And then there was a rider right in front and, yeah, you’ve probably seen the replay," she said on Eurosport.
Frain later posted on social media apologising for the incident.
"No, today didn't go as I hoped. It was hectic and I didn't feel comfortable all day. After working hard to come back to the peloton in the convoy with my teammate, the speed [with which] we rejoined the pack would have matched their pace. Unfortunately, as I came off the wheel I was unaware [of] riders on the road from another crash.
"My teammate went left off the road but I didn't have the opportunity to do the same given I didn't see [the crash]. This meant I crashed overtop of the riders on the ground.
"Naturally, this was never my intention and I am sorry for those involved. I am sore as well and will monitor how I feel. I'm lucky I could get back on my bike.
Italian cycling site bici.PRO also reported that at the end of the stage Frain spoke to the sports director of FDJ-SUEZ-Futuroscope as well as Cavalli.
“I won't tell you what we said to each other, I prefer it to remain reserved but of course I apologized to them and to her,” said Frain in the bici.Pro report.
