Just days after completely recovering from the collarbone fracture he suffered at Milano-Torino in late September, another blow took Rubén Fernández (Movistar Team) out of circulation. The rider from Murcia, who was starting his 2017 pre-season this very week, was riding on his home region's roads on Tuesday morning when a hard gust of wind threw him to the ditch, Fernández crashing with his face on the floor.

Quickly assisted by drivers going past the site of his accident and later moved by ambulance to the Hospital Morales Meseguer in Murcia, Fernández, always conscious, underwent early ckecs that confirmed a broken jaw as well as several teeth lost of damaged. The 25-year-old Spaniard was later released and admitted to the specialised Hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca, where he remains admitted before taking on surgery to his jaw, preceeded more profound tests to confirm the extent of the area's injuries.

Fernández thus has to deal with another blow in less than two months, his promising performances prior to that moment not going unnoticed as Eusebio Unzué's squad rewarded him last week with a new contract through the end of 2019.