Remco Evenepoel crashes at the end of a spectacular final breakaway with Jonas Vingegaard in Volta a Catalunya

There were dramatic scenes in the Volta a Catalunya today as Remco Evenepoel crashed in the final kilometre of stage 3 after staging a late charge for the line with Jonas Vingegaard.

Evenepoel fell at a roundabout, explaining to Sporza that he hit a pothole. While he was able to stand up again, his chances of a spectacular unexpected win had gone up in smoke.

Evenepoel received very little cooperation from Vingegaard during the escape, saying. “I don’t pay much attention to what others’ tactics are. That is their problem. It was clear who wanted to ride to win and who didn’t.”

(Image credit: Getty Images)

On what should have a been a straightforward transition stage from Mont-roig del Camp to Vila-seca, the crash happened at the end of a very long straightaway well inside the final kilometre, which the two took at speed.

But if Vingegaard came through unscathed, Evenepoel was much less fortunate, going over the bars – according to Vingegaard later on – standing up again very quickly, and then briefly walking away from the road.

Vingegaard then sat up, with the sprint won by Dorian Godon (Ineos Grenadiers), whilst Remco and his team car gloomily assessed any potential damage behind.

As race ambulances rushed to the scene, Evenepoel managed to remount and cross the line behind, with the three kilometres-to-go rule meaning that he was safely within the same time as the remainder of the peloton.