Peter Sagan's quest to score more stage wins in this year's Tour de Suisse has suffered a huge blow. One of his most important lead-out men Daniele Ratto crashed in the neutral zone in today's stage and left the race with a broken collarbone.

A crash during the fourth stage of the Tour de Suisse involving Cannondale Pro Cycling rider Daniele Ratto resulted in a compound multi-fragmentary fracture to his right collarbone.  The crash happened while Ratto was riding in the peloton as they proceeded through the neutral zone of the course.  Tour de Suisse medical staff evaluated Ratto out on the road and determined he would be unable to continue, immediately transferring the rider to the hospital.

At the hospital  an x-ray examination showed the severity of the fracture and team doctor Roberto Corsetti, who followed Ratto at the hospital, decided along with consultation  with the medical staff  from the hospital that an osteosynthesis operation would be necessary to facilitate a complete recovery. Ratto will return home to Italy later today, and tomorrow he will undergo surgery at the “Spedali Civili” hospital in Brescia.

Following surgery and the first few days of rest, the team medical staff and coaches along with Ratto will determine the best path for full recovery and a return to racing.