Last year he placed in the middle of the world class at the difficult Italian one-day race Strade Bianche, which is why Michael Gogl had counted on it again last Saturday. But in the end, the professional cyclist from Wolfsegg, who works for the Alpecin team, could be happy that he got off lightly in a violent mass crash in Tuscany.
100 kilometers from the finish, a cross wind gust caught the peloton downhill on one of the sections on white gravel that make the race so special. One of Gogl’s teammates in the front field was blown out and fell on the shoulder with serious consequences. The world champion riding behind him, Julian Alaphilippe, touched the wheel and rolled over, other top people, including the eventual winner Tadej Pogacar, fell, as did Michael Gogl.
bruises and abrasions
But while Pogacar and Alaphilippe were able to continue their journey, Gogl and his teammates Gianni Vermeersch and Stefano Oldani had to give up a little later. “The elbow hurts a lot, but it will be fine,” said Wolfsegger, who also suffered abrasions and bruises. A break is out of the question.
Gogl is already back in the line-up for the Tirreno-Adriatico tour that starts today, which is intended to bring further important preparatory kilometers in preparation for the spring highlights of the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Gogl does not currently see his field of activity as completely untroubled: “Honestly, cycling is just a nice activity. I would have thought it impossible that we would be anxiously following the news in 2022 because a European country was being attacked. My thoughts are with all those who are victims of this war.”
The 23-year-old Pogacar, a two-time Tour de France winner and most recently this season’s UAE Tour winner, added another win to his already impressive palmares. He successfully completed a 50km solo escape ahead of Alejandro Valverde at Siena’s Piazza del Campo.
Black week for Upper Austria aces
Yesterday finally turned into a black week for Upper Austria’s cycling aces. After Sebastian Schönberger was hit by a car during training last Monday, Felix Großschartner was also hit at the start of the Paris-Nice long-distance journey. The Marchtrenker fell and broke his collarbone.
Source: Nachrichten
