The sixth stage of the Tour de Suisse has been shortened after a huge rockfall and will start in Chur instead of La Punt. This was announced by the organisers of the cycling race before the start.
A total of 65 kilometres will be omitted because the route over the Albula Pass cannot be used. The stage now leads over almost 141 kilometres from Chur to Oberwil-Lieli in the canton of Aargau. A huge torrent of rock and rubble narrowly missed the Swiss mountain village of Brienz on Friday night.
The preparatory race for the Tour de France had been overshadowed by two serious crashes the day before. According to race director Olivier Senn, Swiss rider Gino Mäder had to be resuscitated. No further information on the 26-year-old's state of health was initially available from his team Bahrain-Victorious. The American Magnus Sheffield was also taken to hospital with a concussion and bruising.
World champion Remco Evenepoel from Belgium was one of the riders who criticised the organisers for the route. It was not a clever idea to place the finish of such a stage after a descent, said the 23-year-old according to the Swiss newspaper "Blick". "But you obviously still need more spectacle. Something simply has to happen for people to react," said Evenepoel.
Copyright 2023, dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reserved
