The Italian European cycling champion Sonny Colbrelli collapsed and fell unconscious after the final sprint of the opening stage of the Tour of Catalonia.
According to his team Bahrain Victorious, the sprint specialist received immediate medical treatment in the finish area and was then taken to hospital. He was in a stable condition when he was taken by ambulance to the University Hospital of Girona. Further medical examinations will be carried out at the hospital, the racing team announced.
"He goes to hospital. He's in a bad way, but he's being taken to hospital. He is conscious and talking," said team boss Milan Erzen. The 31-year-old Colbrelli had pulled out of the Paris-Nice race due to bronchitis and had therefore also decided not to start at Milan-Sanremo last Saturday.
Colbrelli had previously taken second place in the uphill sprint to the finish of the first stage. The winner was Australian professional cyclist Michael Matthews, who also took the lead in the overall standings. After 171 kilometres with start and finish in Sant Feliu de Guíxols on Spain's north-eastern coast, Frenchman Quentin Pacher came third.
A sprint finale is expected on Tuesday. After 202 kilometres, the stage ends in Perpignan, France, where the last 30 kilometres are completely flat. On Wednesday and Thursday, there are significantly more metres in altitude to conquer. The tour ends on Sunday in Barcelona.
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