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.