A day after taking a brilliant stage win at the Vuelta a España, Eddie Dunbar suffered brutal luck when he crashed in the penultimate stage of the race.
The Corkman was part of a group chasing the breakaway during the early part of Saturday’s 186.8km route from La Calahorra to Collado del Alguacil, but the crash forced him to abandon the race.
His team, Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling, later confirmed the 30-year-old was taken to hospital for assessment and a medical update by race organisers stated the 30-year-old sustained a shoulder injury and a possible collarbone fracture.
The incident adds to an unfortunate run of injuries for Dunbar. In March, he withdrew from the Paris-Nice stage race after sustaining a fractured rib in a crash, and then suffered an ankle injury when he was hit by a scooter having returned to his base in Monaco.
Having spent three months away from the bike on account of those injuries, he was hailed for his resilience in winning Friday’s 19th stage in Peñas Blancas.
Eddie Dunbar powers to stage victory in Vuelta a Espana
Meanwhile, Enric Mas all but secured victory in the general classification, refusing to crack alongside challengers Primoz Roglic, Felix Gall and Richard Carapaz in baking conditions on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
The 31-year-old Spaniard extended his advantage at the finishing, pushing two minutes 15 seconds clear of four-time Vuelta champion Roglic.
With only Sunday’s ceremonial stage around the city of Granada remaining, Mas is set to become the first Spanish rider to win the Vuelta since Alberto Contador 12 years ago.
In an added celebration for the home crowd, Mikel Landa powered up the Collado del Alguacil to take the stage victory, his first stage win in seven years.