Stage 15 of the Giro d'Italia has been brought to a halt in the early kilometres of the day after a mass crash on a causeway just outside the start town of Grado.
The crash came just three kilometres into the day, just as riders were attacking to make the breakaway. Course director Stefano Allocchio was quick to declare a neutralisation to the protests of those on the attack who were unaware of the carnage behind.
Sixth-placed man Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) was among those caught up in the accident, along with Natnael Berhane (Cofidis), and Jos Van Emden (Jumbo-Visma), with all three men receiving medical attention on the site before the news later came through that the trio had been forced to abandon the race.
There hasn't yet been any news on the extent of the rider's injuries.
The peloton ground to a halt five kilometres into the stage as the race waited for doctors and ambulances to get through to the injured riders – with all medical personnel occupied, it would prove impossible to continue racing should another crash happen in the meantime.
Soon afterwards, numerous other riders with torn jerseys and shorts after being caught in the pileup could be seen receiving treatment from medical personnel.
Around 25 minutes after the race was stopped, the remaining 155 riders got going again, beginning a new neutralised zone as the race waited for ambulances and medical cars to catch up.
Racing duly got underway five minutes later, with riders jumping away on the attack at the start of the remaining 139 kilometres of the stage.
Update: Ruben Guerreiro (EF Education-Nippo) rode on for 18 kilometres before he was forced to join the list of riders leaving the race due to the crash. The Portuguese rider, a breakthrough star at the 2020 Giro, could be seen looking unsteady on his feet while the race was neutralised, and was later spotted riding alone behind the peloton.
