After the fall, Bardet immediately rushed to his compatriot and selflessly sacrificed all his own chances as one of the favorites in the race. He stood by the world champion, but “it was an eternity before medical help came,” the visibly shocked winner of the Tour of the Alps told the reporters at the finish.
“Four or five minutes” passed before a doctor was finally at the scene of the accident because the road was initially blocked by the mass fall.
The “shocking scene” shook him so much that he mightn’t finish the race, but got into the team car, according to the 2018 runner-up world champion, who Alaphilippe helped win the medal in the national team at the time.
Liege – Bastogne – Liege
Diagnoses following a serious crash: broken bones in Alaphilippe and van Wilder
ONE DAY AGO
The fall happened right in front of him, “at 80 km/h, nobody wanted to brake – suddenly drivers were lying on the ground everywhere, it was really shocking”.
Alaphilippe “mightn’t breathe”
Alaphilippe’s sporting director Davide Bramati explained that his protégé fell ” once morest a tree below the road” regarding 60 kilometers from the finish, team boss Patrick Lefévère reported that Alaphilippe “mightn’t breathe” in the minutes following the impact.
Teammate and solo winner Remco Evenepoel underscored the danger of the downhill section: “I know this part of the course well, I knew that the road surface was bad and you had to be extra careful – especially with the crosswind,” said the Belgian.
Moment of shock – heavy mass fall overshadows classic
Barde continues in shock
The day following the drama, Bardet admitted that it was still difficult for him to find words for what he had experienced – “the despair on their faces and the battered bodies following the fall”.
He thinks “of Julian and all the other boys who are badly marked and probably saw their lives pass before them” when the mass fall happened. The 2016 Tour runner-up reminded his fellow riders of their responsibilities when taking high risks in momentous battles for positions.
“In a brief moment, passion for racing can turn tragic.”
Evenepoel with a solo victory – mass fall overshadows the classic
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