Alexandre Geniez (AG2R) barely finished celebrating his stage victory over Sky's van Baarle before an official, walking in the narrow tunnel besides the race photographers with his back turned, took down the pair. And why he was there is still anyone's guess. Cycling Central understands the official was not hurt in the crash.
Also caught up in the crash was Dylan Teuns (BMC) and Mark Padun (Bahrain Merida), however van Baarle and Geniez bore the brunt. While Geniez appeared OK and has not at this stage confirmed any injuries, van Baarle was feeling it.
“He has quite a lot of pain in his right thigh," Sky's team doctor Neil Heron said in a team statement. "At the minute I think this is just from the impact of the bike on his thigh but we will need to see over the next few hours.
“He has a few cuts to his right hip and elbow as well as a bruise on the right side of his ribs."
The La Vuelta a Espana organisation issued an apology in its post race communications.
"The organisation wants to apologise to the following riders: Alexandre Geniez (AG2R La Mondiale), Dylan Van Baarle (Team Sky), Mark Padun (Team Bahrein-Merida) and Dylan Teuns (Team BMC), involved in the incident happened (sic) at the end of stage 12 finish line of Faro de Estaca de Bares.
"We wish them all a speedy recovery and a good end of Vuelta."
The incident comes after a race helicopter blew untethered barriers into several riders following the finish of the sixth stage and a crash on the same stage many believed was caused by unclearly marked street furniture.
The men's pro riders' association (CPA) president Gianni Bugno didn't hide his frustration in an interview with Cyclingnews.
"It is not acceptable that after months of work of all the stakeholders to improve the safety at the races, we are still seeing episodes such as (this).
“We are no longer willing to accept post apologies for foreseeable accidents."
