Walking wounded: Stage 2 crash casts long shadow on Giro

Cor Vos

Thomas Silva was the worthy champion in a dramatic finale of stage 2 at the Giro d’Italia, becoming the first Uruguayan to win a Grand Tour stage and wear the pink jersey, but the Grande Partenza ’s second day was overshadowed by a pretty horrifying crash 23 km from the finish, about half an hour before the winner crossed the finish line in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria.

Crashes at Grand Tours are inevitable, especially in the early stages when nerves are high and legs are fresh. This Giro has been exemplary of that, though these early crashes have seemed more dramatic than usual. Having said that, recency bias may be having its say here, given the surprisingly low number of withdrawals so far, and having seen the incidents in question, that is. However, the impact on the race as a whole has been undeniable, and for some teams more than others.

While a few riders abandoned on the spot, more injuries – or the extent of those evident – were revealed overnight and prior to Sunday morning’s third stage, before which two more where added to the withdrawals. The following is what we know (so far) about the extent of the damage caused by Saturday afternoon’s crash.

Giro d’Italia: Thomas Silva makes history for Uruguay on crash-marred stage 2Another mass crash punctuated the second day of racing in Bulgaria, with Adam Yates and UAE Team Emirates-XRG worst affected – as Guillermo Silva took over the pink jersey.Escape CollectiveKit Nicholson

Homeward bound

First things first, the immediate withdrawals. While the peloton was idling behind the director's car, the world looked on as one by one (in no particular order), Ådne Holter (Uno-X Mobility), Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain-Victorious), Marc Soler and Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) all abandoned the Giro. Having watched the crash unfold, rag doll bodies tumbling over one and other, a stubborn guard rail standing immovable in their path, it’s incredible that list wasn’t longer.

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