Italian cyclist Vincenzo Nibali suffered a double fracture of his collarbone in a high-speed crash in the Olympic Road Race yesterday and has now returned to Italy for surgery. Nibali had been one of the pre-race favourites and had been looking in contention for the win as the race entered its closing stages.
He had attacked late in the race with Rafal Majka (Poland) and Sergio Henao (Colombia) on the final ascent of Vista Chinesa. However, with 10 kilometres remaining, both Henao and Nibali lost control on the tricky descent and crashed. Majka was the only one of the three to stay upright, but he was chased down by eventual winner Greg van Avermaet and Jakob Fuglsang and the Pole had to settle for bronze.
Nibali was attended to by medical staff at the scene and was unable to continue.
A spokesman for the Italian Olympic team – Fabrizio Marchetti – later said that Nibali had been treated in a local hospital where x-rays confirmed that he had suffered the double fracture. He was subsequently released from hospital later that evening.
Nibali has now returned to Italy to undergo an operation in Brescia where he will have plates fitted to his collarbone.
Sergio Henao was also badly injured in the crash and fractured part of his pelvis in the fall, according to a spokesperson from the Colombian Olympic Committee. He was also unable to finish the race.
is the bike ok?