Morabito out of Vuelta a España due to motorbike incident

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Steve Morabito became the first BMC Racing Team rider to withdraw from the 2014 edition of the Vuelta a España as he was unable to continue stage 11 having been run over by a race motorbike.

"I don't understand what happened," Morabito said of the accident. "I had some riders coming from my right side and a few seconds later the motorbikes ran over me when I was on the ground. It was pretty painful."

BMC's doctor Scott Major explained that Morabito had suffered a deep hematoma over the head of the femur on his right hip, road rash and bruises to his ribs on his back from the incident.

"Fortunately, nothing is broken," Dr. Major said. "His shoulder was also dislocated, but he was able to relocate it out on the road."

With Samuel Sánchez currently occupying sixth place overall, BMC's director sportif Valerio Piva added that the team's hopes of securing a high overall position had been dented by Morabito's exit from the race.

"Steve is an important guy for the team that we lose," Piva said.