Bad luck again for the Italian sprinter.
Stage 8 of the Spanish Grand Tour, between Puçol and Xeraco, should have been a pretty straightforward one, with just a third-category climb as the main difficulty of the day for the fast men who were targeting another bunch sprint.
It came down to a mass gallop, but it was incredibly hectic, marked by several crashes, including one that took place in the neutral zone and another one with 300 meters to go, just as the sprinters were preparing to launch their effort. Alberto Dainese was in a good position, but had to stop after several riders hit the ground just in front of him, and couldn’t be a protagonist anymore in the finale of this stage won by Bryan Coquard (Cofidis).
Fabio Van den Bossche, a bronze medalist at this year’s Belgian Championships, was the only Soudal Quick-Step rider to be involved in the crash, fortunately without serious consequences, meaning he should be at the start on Sunday.
Before a well-deserved rest day, the race will schedule a hard summit finish on Alto de Aitana. The first-category climb, coming at the end of a stage featuring a total of six ascents, promises more fireworks in the battle for the general classification.
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