Curtis Neill made a very strong start to Ronde d’Isard only to crash, coming down very hard, in the final today
Irish U23 rider Curtis Neill, who won a stage at Dornan Rás Mumhan for Velo Performance, made a very strong start at Ronde d’Isard (2.2U) only to crash, and crash hard, at the end of stage 2 today, Thursday.
The 20-year-old limped of the finish line on Circuit Automobile Albi in southern France, meaning he remains in the race. However, he now faces a battle to start tomorrow given the extent of his injuries.
He has sustained injuries to his keen and head, banging both off the tarmac hard, though it is the knee injury that appeared to be causing most concern in the hours after the race concluded.
Both of the opening stages have gone much the same way; small breakaways grabbing a few seconds in the finals but with no time lost or gained that the first big climb won’t cancel out.
On today’s 118km stage, which finished on the racing circuit just outside Albi, Niels Driesen (Lotto-Groupe Wanty) attacked late from a small breakaway to win the stage 11 seconds up on the bunch, also taking the race lead.
Irish rider Tom Huelin (Velo Performance U23 Development Team) was in the bunch, in 57th, while Liam O’Brien (Lidl Trek Future Racing) was also in the peloton, in 72nd, and Cal Tutty (Velo Performance U23 Development Team).
Neill was also there until he crash inside the final 3km, meaning he was also credited with just being 11 seconds down.
Josh Callaly (Velo Performance U23 Development Team) was 130th, at 4:39, while Isaac Burman (Velo Performance U23 Development Team) was 132nd at 19:43 on a day when the heat got to many of the riders.
On the opening stage yesterday, Wednesday, the 1.7km climb to the finish line saw small gaps appear in the field. XDS Astana Development Team went 1-2 into Saint-Cirq-Lapopie after 162km with Italians Ludovico Maria Mellano and Mattia Negrente.
O’Brien, Neill and Tutty all finish in a large group at 9 seconds – in 22nd, 28th and 79th. Burman was 110th at 1:28, Callaly 116th at 2:01 and Huelin 121st at 2:17.
O’Brien, Neill and Tutty are on now in a large group equal on time just 34 seconds off the race lead.
Stage 3 tomorrow, Friday, features a brutal finish on the HC climb of Col de Pailhères. It is the fourth climb in a row, with very little descending in between, of the 169km stage.