Wiggins crashes on day of drama in Giro

On easily the most dramatic day of this year’s Giro d’Italia so far, Adam Hansen of Lotto Belisol won the seventh stage with a fine solo effort but all the talking was about Bradley Wiggins who crashed and lost over a minute to many of his main rivals.

Hansen crossed the finish line in rain-soaked Pescara over a minute ahead of Enrico Battaglin (Bardiani Valvole) and Danilo Di Luca (Vini Fantini) with Wiggins timed at 1:24 seconds and he now lies in 23rd position overall.

The new leader is Benat Intxausti (Movistar), five seconds ahead of Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) and eight seconds ahead of defending champion Ryder Hesjedal. All three finished more than a minute after Hansen following a downpour that caused havoc in the peloton.

But Wiggins has a chance to bounce back on today’s eighth stage when the riders tackle a 55 kilometre individual time-trial from Gabicce Mare to Saltara.

Meanwhile, the sport’s Governing body, the UCI, has announced it will appeal against the decision taken by a Madrid court judge not to allow the evidence from the Operacion Puerto trial to be released for analysis, which could lead to the possible identification of other riders and athletes from other sports allegedly involved.

In a statement released yesterday, the UCI states it will appeal “the decision not to release to the UCI and other anti-doping organisation, the more than 200 bags of blood and other evidence gathered in police raids in 2006, which were presented in the trial of Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes."