Horrific crash leads to voided Rás stage
In a tribute to their injured comrades the peloton rode in convoy to the finish and the organisers donated the prize money for the day to the injured quartet – three members of the Spanish team and an Italian, Luca Barla, who was a member of the Japan-Nippo team.
The Italian rider suffered a broken leg and an ear injury, while one of the Spaniards broke his leg and lost part of his finger and will be taken to hospital in Belfast to have it sewn back on.
Two other Spaniards suffered what appeared to be mainly superficial injuries and could start this morning’s stage although a Japanese rider was taken to hospital last night with suspected concussion.
Last night an investigation was under way into how a jeep emerged on to the race route after a breakaway group had gone past, then travelled in the direction of the main bunch and collided with the six riders who were at the front and chasing the leaders.
One of those close to the front was race leader, Dan Craven (Rapha Condor Sharp) who said it was something he never wanted to see again. He had a badly bruised shin as a result of something hitting him.
“I had moved towards the front of the bunch when the incident happened,” he said. “Six guys went down and I was actually in seventh position. I was the first guy who did not go down.
“Every single one of them hit the jeep, the windshield and into the bushes. You can’t race when something like that happens so the race was correctly neutralised. People have to make sure everyone is alive. It there is a life and death situation you don’t care about winning prizes. Accidents happen and it is so unfortunate that it had to happen on such a lovely day in such a lovely race.”
Tralee man Paul Griffin, a member of the Tipperary Dan Morrissey team, was also near the front and had a close up view of the crash. “I was riding close to the front chasing that breakaway,” he said. “They (the riders) came around the corner and the jeep was coming against them. The bunch were coming down the hill and around the corner. It was a head-on collision. The bunch was doing 60 kph.
“I have never seen anything like it before and, hopefully, I never will again. Nobody even considered riding on after the crash. Everyone was very upset. For a long time everyone was very quiet and thinking the worst.”
Mark Howard, a Communications Executive with the Irish Sports Council, arrived on the scene in a Commisaire’s car about a minute after the accident happened.
“Our driver was a fireman and he was able to get down to one of the riders who was lying in a ditch 20 feet below,” he said. “He was able to rescue him and then help the Race Doctor to treat the injured.”
Mark McNally (An Post/Sean Kelly) was in a leading group of 20 riders that was almost two minutes clear and, as a result, was raceleader on the road. He did not know what had happened until the race was stopped.
“We saw the jeep was coming down a side road as we were just passing and it must have pulled out after we got past it,” he said.
“About eight riders got away and I went across in a group of four or five. Then a few more came across after that and we just started working. We were working nicely then the crash happened and they stopped the race. Obviously it is disappointing but at the end of the day the main concern is the lads who were in the crash.”
It was the first time in the 59 year history of the race that a stage was declared null and void although back in 1972 the young Dunleer rider, Noel McGuill, died in hospital in Ballyshannon after crashing the previous day at Ballintra.
Race Organiser Dermot Dignam, who rode the race a number of times, has operated a tight ship since he took over the running of the race.
“It was an unfortunate accident and I am glad to hear from the race doctor, Dr Conor McGrane, who accompanied them to hospital, that the injured riders are going to be OK,” he said.
“The safety of the riders is always of paramount importance and every effort is made to make the course as safe as possible – all hazards are identified and marshals are appointed and the Garda Síochána operate a rolling road closure which effectively closes down all the traffic coming towards the race and they do it very efficiently and very effectively.
“I believe there was a non-race vehicle involved and I believe it pulled out from a driveway or a side road after the Garda escort had passed by.
“The road was very narrow and communications were not great in that particular area. It was more important to look after the injured and get them to hospital as quickly as possible. It was obviously the best thing was to neutralise the stage.
“I think it was the right decision to stop the stage and I know most of the riders agreed with it – one or two of the riders in the break were disappointed – you could see everyone was upset when the riders arrived at the finish.”
Today’s stage will leave Carrick-on-Shannon half an hour earlier than scheduled so as not to coincide with a funeral along the route. The riders should arrive at the finish line in Oughterard at around 3pm as a result.
Dan Craven, who hails from tiny town of Omaruru (buttermilk in English) in the Namibian outback, remains in the yellow jersey with a seven second advantage over Mark McNally.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
