German Tivani (Argentina) became a hugely surprising winner of the fifth stage of the Tour de San Luis when he beat compatriots Daniel Diaz (Delko Marseile) and Emiliano Ibarra (San Juan) in a 3-rider sprint. The peloton called off the chase after a big crash had split the field and this allowed the trio of local riders to stay clear while Eduardo Sepulveda (Fortuneo-Vital Concept) defended the lead on the eve of the queen stage.

 

We have gathered several reactions.

 

Tivani: I never thought we would make it to the finish

20-year-old German Tivani became the surprise winner in Juana Koslay.

 

"Yesterday I was not good and I struggled a lot to get to the finish but I'm happy to be able to bite the bullet,” he told Tuttobiciweb. “The escape? It is always difficult to join it and I honestly did not expect to make it to the finish line. However, we succeeded and in the sprint I gave everything I had.

 

"I knew I was faster than Dani Diaz and that I could beat him in a sprint. It went as expected. I'm surprised and happy with this great victory. Now I'd like to be able to win the sprints jersey."

 

No Lampre-Merida riders involved in brutal crash

Unlike most other teams, Lampre-Merida can breathe a sigh of relief as they had no riders in the big crash.

All six blue-fuchsia-green riders have reached the finish in the first chasing group and Davide Cimolai contested the sprint, taking 7th position.

 

GC rider Ilia Koshevoy gained one position and is now in 8th place, 1'22 "behind leader Sepulveda.

 

Tinkoff escape crash but miss out on sprint opportunity for Sagan

Today's stage, from Renca to Juana Koslay, was, at least on paper, meant to be a perfect day for the sprinters. However, a massive pile-up in the peloton gave the three escapees a chance to reach the finish line. Majka now edges up one spot to ninth in the overall classification, always at 1:36 from the leader, and sets his sight on tomorrow's second summit finish.

 

A huge fall in the main group, which involved approximately fifty riders, at about 30 km from the finish, marked the fifth stage of the Argentinean race, forcing the peloton to slow down and allowing thus the escapees to get to the finish and claim the podium spots. The Tinkoff riders were in the front and, with the exception of Jesper Hansen, were not affected. Hansen was caught up in the pileup but without any consequences other than losing time.

 

"Today, throughout the day, there was some nervous tension in the group", commented Maciej Bodnar, "and with favorable winds the speed was always very high. I didn't understand how the crash happened, since we were at the front as the road was quite narrow, and at some point we realized there was a sort of gap behind us. As we didn't know what had taken place, we slowed down for a moment to wait for the others".

 

"We saw some Movistar riders on the ground but we didn't see the fall. At that moment we were all riding very fast, probably at 60km/h", concluded Bodnar.

Peter Sagan was primed for a fast sprint n today's stage but the huge crash in the peloton turned the race on its head. Photo Bettini Photo

 

Sports Director Patxi Vila commented on today's stage, "The stage was very fast, with an average speed over 47.9 km/h despite the fall that slowed us down a bit. However this was the very first tight stage, despite the usual heat, and when the breakaway started, after 30km, some teams took on the responsibility for the chase and put themselves in front of the group. After 139 km, however, there was the critical point of the day: a road narrowing followed by a small climb caused some tension in the group also because of the high speed".

 

"From what I understand, at that point a rider must have hit a bump by triggering the fall. Luckily our team was at the other side of the road so we avoided any further damage. Today the guys were very focused and they did a great job despite several drawbacks including annoying cross winds. It's such a shame we couldn't ride for the victory but it went well and we've been lucky enough to bring the whole team to the finish line without any injury", continued Vila.

 

"Now we keep our focus on tomorrow's stage, hoping Majka will do well", concluded Vila.

 

For the penultimate stage of Tour de San Luis, from La Toma to Merlo, there are three KOM climbs in the final part of the race, the last KOM is at the finish, at a 2,140 meters altitude.

 

Four Movistar riders go down, Malori suffers head injury

A mass pile-up in the final 30 kilometers of stage five in the Tour de San Luis, finishing at Juana Koslay, ruined what had, until then, been a calm day for the Movistar Team.

 

The riders directed by José Luis Jaimerena crashed almost as a unit due to a pothole in the road. The incident affected Nairo Quintana, who was quickly back on his bike and in the main peloton. Dani Moreno and Marc Soler also fell, while Adriano Malori was forced to abandon and was transferred to the nearby Hospital San Luis. Dayer Quintana and Fran Ventoso were not involved in the crash.

 

"I was third, behind two Etixx-Quick Step riders," Ventoso told at the finish line "Malori was right behind and he crash. He brought down at least 40 riders. Nibali has told me that Malori hit a pothole and could not avoid the crash.”

 

In agreement with the Movistar Team's medical staff, The hospital has published the following bulletin on the status of Adriano Malori: 

 

"Adriano Malori, 27, was admitted at 18:10 hrs with multiple injuries, including head trauma, as a result of a bicycle crash. 

 

”He is currently in the intensive care unit, where he will remain under observation initally for 48 hours."

 

Malori also sustained a fracture to his right collarbone. Another bulletin is expected on Saturday.

 

As Germán Tivani (ARG) took the day's honours after joining a four-man breakaway, Nairo Quintana, Dani Moreno and Marc Soler and were able to reach the finish line. Nairo Quintana grazed his right elbow and sustained a little briusing in the scramble ofter the crash. Moreno took a blow to the lower back, while Soler sustained cuts and briuses.

 

Despite the incident, Dayer and Nairo Quintana remain second and fourth overall behind race leader Eduardo Sepúlveda (FVC). The final showdown will be held on Saturday's stage six towards Filo Sierras Comechingones (16.6km, 7% avg.), 2,140m above sea level, at the end of a 160km stage starting at La Toma.

 

Cannondale captain Cardoso avoids crash, Craddock goes down

Cannondale captain André Cardoso escaped the crash.

 

”It was a controlled stage for a sprint when a serious crash near the front of the pack changed everything. I saw it and avoided it. I have no explanation for such an incident. I wish a speedy recovery to all my opponents and colleagues involved in the crash,” he wrote on Facebook.

 

Cannondale sports director Bingen Fernandez told Cyclingews that both Lawson Craddock and Andrew Talansky hit the deck, with the former being the worst affected.

 

Scarponi suffers contused finger in San Luis crash

"I fell,” said Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev,” and I did not understand why. Luckily only a scratch, I got up and I continued the race. Apart from the crash, I'm riding well and am indeed surprised to be so fast at the beginning of the season.”

 

The fifth stage of the Tour de San Luis, won by the Argetine Germán Tivani who beat his two breakaway companions, was characterized by a big crash that involved forty riders.

 

Alongside Kozhatayev, Astana teammates Valerio Agnoli, Eros Capecchi and Michele Scarponi went down, with the latter suffering the worst consequences. "Scarponi,” said the team doctor Emilio Magni, “suffered a contused lacerated wound on the first finger of his left hand."

 

"We were going pretty fast and I fear that someone has hit a bump or something, pulling down so many of us,” Scarponi told Tuttobiciweb. “These things happen and I hope that it is not too bad with Adriano because I saw that I was still on the ground.”

 

 

“For a few days, I will not be able to hitchhike with this finger,” he added jokingly.

 

Argentine Eduardo Sepulveda, winner of yesterday's stage, retained the leader's jersey of the general classification with Miguel Angel Lopez still fifth with a delay of 51 seconds.

 

Race leader Sepulveda hurts knees in horror crash

Fortuneo-Vital Concept Boris Vallee, Vegard Breen, Chris-Anker Sørensen and especially race leader Eduardo Sepulveda were involved in the crash. They suffered wounds and burns and the latter two had to change bikes. However, Sepulveda rejoined the peloton and retained the lead.

 

“I am fine but I hurt both of my knees in the crash,” he told Cyclingnews. “Everybody was looking for the first positions in the peloton. Movistar was ahead and we tried to chase them but I fell again and had to change my bike. I’m now just looking forward to getting back to the hotel and recovering a bit more.

 

"I am confident that the Argentineans will help me to take home the overall win tomorrow.”

 

Gaviria and Contreras forced to abandon on disastrous day for Etixx-QuickStep

Four Etixx – Quick-Step riders hit the ground in the crash that put its mark on the stage between Renca and Juana Koslay.

 

Things were looking good for Etixx – Quick-Step on Friday, January 22nd, when the team worked hard in order to reduce the advantage of the escape in stage 5 of Tour de San Luis and set up Fernando Gaviria for the bunch sprint, but everything changed in the blink of an eye, as a result of a crash which took place in the first half of peloton, with 25 kilometers to go. Of the six Etixx – Quick-Step riders in the race, four went to the ground and were in need of medical examination at the finish: Rodrigo Contreras, Fernando Gaviria, Maximiliano Richeze and Stijn Vandenbergh.

 

The X-rays revealed that Fernando Gaviria has a fracture of the radius bone in his left arm, because of which he will not start stage 6. Also fellow countryman Rodrigo Contreras, third in the overall ranking and U23 leader, has suffered a wound in his right knee, which required 15 stitches, an injury that eventually led to his withdrawal from the race.

 

Finally, Maximiliano Richeze – the first leader of the 10th Tour de San Luis – and Stijn Vandenbergh will line-up for the start of stage 6, despite suffering minor contusions.

 

An update on the condition and recovery of Rodrigo Contreras and Fernando Gaviria will be released in the next days.