Giro agony for Martin as crash ends his race

The race is only one stage old but already it’s a case of what might have been for Ireland’s big hope in the Giro d’Italia as Dan Martin crashed out of the race after just 15 minutes in last night’s opener in Belfast.

The Garmin-SHARP rider came down heavily midway through the 21.7km team time-trial after he appeared to lose balance on a manhole cover while travelling at over 50kph.

A slight rain shower prior to the start made conditions treacherous on a course that featured a number of tricky corners, but it was on a straight stretch where Martin came a cropper.