New abandon and setback for Jay Vine after 22nd crash in five years

Vine was among several riders to crash with around 66 kilometres to go, alongside Ivo Oliveira, Josh Kench, Sergi Darder and Léo Bisiaux, at a moment when the peloton was relatively calm and there were no obvious signs of tension.

Television images showed the UAE Team Emirates -XRG rider sitting at the roadside before getting back to his feet and making a clear gesture across his throat, signalling immediately that his race was over.

It marks yet another setback for the Australian in what has become a recurring pattern. According to data from ProCyclingStats, this was already Vine’s 22nd crash in the past five years, a striking number for a rider who has otherwise built a reputation as one of the peloton’s most promising climbers and time trial specialists.

Vine had only just returned to competition following his widely publicised crash at the Tour Down Under earlier this season, where a kangaroo collision left him with a fractured wrist. His participation in Catalunya was intended as a measured step forward, with the rider himself stressing that full recovery could take up to a year.

Instead, his comeback has been interrupted almost immediately.

This latest crash also casts fresh doubt over Vine’s short term goals, particularly his planned build up towards the Giro d’Italia. The Australian had identified the race, and especially its stage 10 time trial, as a key target in his return.