I tuned into the OLN-sponsored webcast of Stage 2 of the Giro d’Italia at about 9:30am EDT because I was curious as to how good the viewing experience would be. About half an hour after I started watching Euskaltel-Euskadi rider Alberto Lopez de Munain crashed heavily on the road side and apparently struck his head on the guardrail.
From what I saw, he lost control of his bike while he was riding on the right shoulder of the road, possibly because his front wheel rolled off the pavement. He and his bike flopped sideways and his head and/or neck struck the guardrail.
I was able to see the paramedic unit arrive, work quickly to prepare him to be transported on a back board, load him into an ambulance, and take him away to a hospital. This was the main focus of the television feed for the entire time that the incident was taking place.
I’m also watching the VeloNews’ live coverage transcript and they report that Lopez de Munian has broken ribs and a collapsed lung, but there is no word on head or neck injuries at this time.
Updates:
- Robby McEwen of Davitamon-Lotto won the stage with a sprint victory over Isaac Galvez Lopez, Robert Forster, Alessandro Petacchi, and Baden Cooke. McEwen takes over the General Classification lead.
- Further details on Alberto Lopez de Munain’s condition and the reaction of Euskaltel-Euskadi Director Sportif Miguel Madariaga can be found in Smiles one day, terror the next, part of CyclingNews’ May 10th latest edition package. I want to point out that Madariaga said there was no doubt that “the helmet and the {Guedel Airway} the doctor inserted {when they first treated Lopez de Munain on the roadside} saved his life.”