Uno-X riders count the cost after brutal Tour sprint crash

Wærenskjold, Jonas Abrahamsen and Anthon Charmig were all caught in the incident, which unfolded at high speed as the peloton prepared for the sprint. When Fernando Gaviria (Caja Rural-Seguros RSA) went down near the front, the riders behind had almost no time or space to react.

Gaviria and Jenno Berckmoes (Lotto-Intermaché) suffered broken collarbones, while the medical checks brought better news for Uno-X. None of the team’s three riders appeared to have sustained a fracture, although all were left bruised and badly grazed.

Sports director Christian Andersen told TV 2 the crash spread across almost the entire road. According to the team’s account, Gaviria lost control after a rider moved across in front of him. Wærenskjold was brought down in the initial impact, with Charmig and Abrahamsen falling immediately behind.

The footage of Abrahamsen’s crash was particularly alarming. The Norwegian was unable to slow down before being thrown headfirst into the roadside barriers at an estimated speed of between 60 and 70 kilometres per hour.

Speaking after the finish, he admitted the outcome could have been much worse.

“I feel better than I expected,” Abrahamsen told TV 2. “I had no time to brake. It was a very hard impact.”

His helmet absorbed much of the force. On social media, Abrahamsen jokingly apologised for damaging the barriers before thanking Sweet Protection for the equipment that had protected him.

He also tried to turn the page quickly. Later that evening, he shared a picture of the team sitting together around the dinner table.

“Cycling is ups and downs. Tomorrow brings new opportunities,” he wrote.

For Wærenskjold, the crash brought an abrupt end to a remarkable 24 hours. One day earlier, he had celebrated one of the biggest victories of his career. Now he was dealing with painful road rash and uncertainty over how his body would respond.

The Norwegian made light of his injuries in an Instagram story, posting a picture from the team bus with the song Eye of the Tiger playing in the background.

“No skin left on the ass, but I will survive,” he wrote.

His comments matched the message he gave to TV2. Wærenskjold said the worst damage was concentrated around his backside and hip, where the impact had removed a significant amount of skin.

Whether he will reach Paris remains to be seen, but the stage winner made clear that completing the Tour has become his next major objective.