Luis Mas Bonet with teammate Pello Bilbao (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Caja Rural-Seguros RGA's Lluís Guillermo Mas Bonet safely finished in the grupetto on stage 4 of the Vuelta a Espana to San Andrés de Teixido in 91st place only for disaster to strike as he crashed heavily when riding back to the team bus with his teammates.
The 27-year-old lost control of his bike according to a team release, and was transferred to the Hospital Juan Cardona in A Coruña where the hip dislocation was confirmed. Mas Bonet remained in hospital for overnight observation and had a CAT scan to determine if he suffered any other injuries. The team announced it will provide further information Wednesday.
Mas Bonet, who had an extended stint in the king of the mountain's classification at the 2014 Vuelta, joins Federico Zurlo (Lampre-Merida), Vicente Reynes (IAM Cycling) and Warren Barguil (Giant-Alpecin) as the first abandons of the 2016 Vuelta a Espana.
The accident overshadowed what had been a good day for the wild card entrants after Jaime Rosón had finished ninth on the stage and was awarded the Fair Play prize.
"I had marked this stage since the start of the Vuelta. Yesterday I took it easy to be prepared for today," Rosón said. "I knew what I had to do and almost made it. I would have liked to finish a little higher but considering that it is still my first Vuelta and I gave everything I have, I am satisfied with this ninth position."
Ángel Madrazo, who joined Rosón in the breakaway, is currently the best placed Caja Rural-Seguros RGA rider in 12th place overall.
Movistar's Jonathan Castroviejo was riding down from the Alto do Malhao to the team bus after the final stage of the Volta ao Algarve when he collided with a spectator and fractured his vertebra.
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