During the first stage of the Tour of the Basque Country, a lot of riders crashed and injured because of metal poles placed in the finishing straight. According to the El Diario Vasco, four riders were taken to hospital.

The doctors diagnosed a lot of fracture for Peter Stetina, the BMC Racing Team leader. He suffered from his tibia, his kneecap and four ribs. Spanish Sergio Pardilla (Caja Rural), Frenchman Nicolas Edet (Cofidis, solutions crédits) and Britain’s Adam Yates (Orica GreenEDGE Cycling Team) were also taken to hospital. A fifth rider, Frenchman Pierre-He Lecuisinier (FDJ) was taken to hospital after a crash mid-race.

According to the medical release, Pardilla was the worst injured. The Caja-Rural rider suffered a head trauma, haemoptysis (coughing up blood), a fractured shoulder and a fractured left wrist. He will remain in hospital, under observation for 48 hours. 

But Adam Yates is also very hurted. He fractured a bone in his right hand and announced he was out of the race via Twitter on Tuesday morning. Edet suffered fracture at the end of his left clavicle and to a rib.

The Association of North American Professional Road Cyclists retweeted several reactions and published photos of metal poles and of the peloton about to hit as the sprint began. “500m to go, peloton charging at the bollards. No barrier, no warning in the road book, & now no @AmgenTOC for Stetina” ANAPRC tweeted.