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Superman López leaves the Giro d'Italia before reaching Etna

2022-05-10T16:16:29.104Z


Sicily is still cursed territory for the Colombian climber, who had already had to retire due to a fall in Palermo on the first day of the 2020 Giro d'Italia


At the top of Etna, the flight of Miguel Ángel

Superman

López was expected, but the extraordinary Colombian climber did not even reach his base.

He dropped from the peloton as soon as the fourth stage of the Giro d'Italia started in Avola.

Although the first information from the race reported that the cyclist from Pesca, Boyacá, had been involved in one of the two falls that occurred, his team, Astana, specified shortly after that López had been suffering from pain in the back for days hip.

Before practically starting the race, one of the so-called favorites of the Giro withdrew without favourites.

🇮🇹 RACE: @giroditalia



Unfortunately, @SupermanlopezN had to abandon shortly after Stage 4 started.

During the last few days he was suffering from left hip injury.


We will communicate about more info about rider statement as soon as we get more from team doctor.#Giro pic.twitter.com/C7qh76gFHt

— Astana Qazaqstan Team (@AstanaQazTeam) May 10, 2022

In one of the crashes, while crossing the beautiful baroque city of Noto, his teammate David de la Cruz and the Englishman Simon Yates, another of the great favorites and winner of the Budapest time trial, were involved.

Shortly after, Yates lowered himself to the car of the doctors, who treated his right knee, and continued without further problems.

The second fall, on the road that ascends towards the steep interior of Sicily and turns to the north of the island, almond trees whipped by a strong wind, was caused by a motorcycle belonging to the organization.

López was then already delayed in the company of his partner and compatriot Harold Tejada, who was waiting to help him if he decided to continue.

However, he got off the bike and got into the car of his director, Stefano Zanini.

“Miguel Ángel had been suffering from muscular problems since Hungary”,

Zanini pointed out to the RAI microphones.

“He has tried to continue in any way, but it was impossible for him to pedal”.

Like the veteran poker player he seems, and all the old cycling sports directors were more than anything poker players, lamplighters, liars, undaunted by the reality that belied them, Beppe Martinelli, Astana's chief tactician, declined his catechism the day before tactical, all the commandments of the world that are summarized in one.

“This Giro will be won by going on the wheel”, said Martinelli.

“There are many favorites, but none is so superior to the others as to make a difference.

And, okay, Superman is an attack man, but I'll be able to convince him that you can't attack just like that every day.

So you always have to follow the wheel and always keep in mind that after one stage there is always another, there is always a day later”.

There will be no day after for Superman, who over breakfast, a few hours before the stage,

He was elusive and not very talkative with the journalist who wanted to get a round phrase out of him, the daughter of his decision and determination.

He couldn't, of course, anticipate that he would just take four pedal strokes and get off the bike.


🙁@SupermanlopezN drops out of the race



🙁@SupermanlopezN abandons the Giro#Giro pic.twitter.com/ibLLaMjvo7

– Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 10, 2022

For López, who began a new stage in his career with his return to his Astana of a lifetime after interrupting his contract with Movistar after nine months, it is the second consecutive abandonment in the Giro after the one he starred in the Giro de 2020, also in Sicily, the island that does not want him, also a windy day.

Then he fell alone, on the great avenue of Palermo, when a gust of wind made him lose control of his goat in the initial time trial.

He suffered serious injuries to his thigh, which delayed his preparation for the 2021 season, that of his debut and dismissal from Movistar, a team with which he did not finish either the Tour or the Vuelta.

The Giro is, however, the race in which he has achieved his best results.

He finished third in his debut, in 2018, and seventh in 2019, in which he was also the protagonist when he responded with an attack on Slovenian fans that made him fall in the last kilometers of the ascent to Mount Avena, in the penultimate stage.

Sicilian veteran Vincenzo Nibali remains Astana's sole leader.

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Source: elparis

All sports articles on 2022-05-10

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