Affini's Tour de France at risk after heavy Italian championships crash

Edoardo Affini was forced to abandon the Italian Championships time trial after he crashed just 6km into his effort on the rolling course in the Langhe. The Visma | Lease a Bike rider was taken to hospital by ambulance and there are question marks over his participation in the Tour de France.

According to Tuttobiciweb, Affini crashed on the early descent from Briaglia to Bastia Mondovì, with the website describing him as “in pain but conscious” when he was taken away by ambulance for treatment. 

Earlier this week, Affini was named in Visma’s eight-man line-up for the Tour, with the team counting on him to serve as Jonas Vingegaard’s bodyguard on the flat stages.

“He can take a leader in the back pocket, and he makes sure that Jonas is all the time where he needs to be,” head sports director Marc Reef said. “He takes care of him.”

The 30-year-old was European time trial champion in 2024, and he has placed on the podium of the Italian time trial championships on no fewer than four occasions.

Thursday’s race to Barolo was ultimately won by Filippo Ganna (Netcompany-Ineos), who secured his seventh title. 

Although a report from RAI television’s Stefano Rizzato indicated that Affini had not sustained any broken bones in the crash, Tuttobici nonetheless provided a pessimistic update on his prospects of making the Tour on Thursday evening.

According to Tuttobici, Affini suffered “a deep laceration to the groin requiring both internal and external stitches” and the outlet described his Tour participation as being “increasingly in doubt.”

Visma provided an update later on Thursday without offering any indication as to his chances of riding the Tour.  

“Affini crashed heavily during the Italian National Time Trial Championships and was taken to hospital. He never lost consciousness,” read the statement.

“Examinations at the hospital showed that no fractures were sustained. Over the coming days, his recovery will be monitored.”