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TOUR DE ROMANDIE

CYCLING

Albasini wins second stage in Romandie race

Switzerland's Michael Albasini bagged his second straight win in the Tour de Romandie cycling race to consolidate his overall lead on Thursday's third stage.

Published: 30 April 2015 20:22 CEST
Albasini wins second stage in Romandie race
Albasini makes it two in a row. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP

The OricaGreenedge prevailed in a bunch sprint after a hilly 172.5km ride from Moutier to Porrentruy, including the category two Col de la Croix.

He finished ahead of in-form Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe and Italy's Damiano Caruso.

Albasini took the yellow jersey from Welsh rider Geraint Thomas on Wednesday and now holds a 20-second lead on his teammate Ivan Santaromita of Italy and Sky's Chris Froome, who has won the last two editions of the Tour de
Romandie.
   
The Brit remains one of the favourites to win the Tour, which ends on Sunday.
   
Friday's fourth stage will take the peloton on a 169.8km ride from Neuveville to Fribourg, ahead of Saturday's difficult mountain stage.

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CYCLING

Swiss rider dies after fall into ravine on Tour of Switzerland

Swiss rider Gino Maeder has died from the injuries he sustained when he plunged into a ravine during a stage of the Tour of Switzerland, his team Bahrain-Victorious said on Friday.

Published: 16 June 2023 12:54 CEST
Swiss rider dies after fall into ravine on Tour of Switzerland

Maeder, 26, fell during a high-speed descent on the fifth stage between Fiesch and La Punt on Thursday, after an exhausting day marked by three ascents over 2,000 metres altitude.

He had been found “lifeless in the water” of a ravine below the road, “immediately resuscitated then transported to the hospital in Chur by air”, organisers said.

But the next day, “Gino lost his battle to recover from the serious injuries he sustained,” Bahrain-Victorious said in a statement.

“It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we must announce the passing of Gino Mäder,” his team wrote in a statement.

“On Friday June 16th, following a very serious fall during the fifth stage of the Tour de Suisse, Gino lost his fight to recover from the serious injuries he had suffered. Our entire team is devastated by this tragic accident, and our thoughts and prayers are with Gino’s family and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time.”

“Despite the best efforts of the phenomenal staff at Chur hospital, Gino couldn’t make it through this, his final and biggest challenge, and at 11:30am we said goodbye to one of the shining lights of our team,” the team said in a statement.

Maeder had enjoyed a strong start to the season, finishing fifth in the Paris-Nice race.

American rider Magnus Sheffield also fell on the same descent from Albula, during the most difficult stage of the race with multiple climbs. The Ineos-Grenadiers rider was hospitalised with “bruises and concussion,” organisers said.

On Thursday, world champion Remco Evenepoel criticised the decision to compete on such a dangerous road.

“While a summit finish would have been perfectly possible, it wasn’t a good decision to let us finish down this dangerous descent,” the Belgian wrote on Twitter.

“As riders, we should also think about the risks we take going down a mountain.”

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