Primoz Roglic abandons bid for second Giro d’Italia title after stage 16 crash

Primoz Roglic has abandoned the Giro d’Italia after a crash, ending his bid for a second corsa rosa trophy and potentially jeoparding his preparation for this summer’s Tour de France.

The Slovenian was the pre-race favourite but was 10th in the overall standings after a below-par first two weeks. The 35-year-old had struggled throughout the race after crashing during recon for stage 10’s time trial and again on stage 14 when several riders came down, and withdrew after another crash in dismally wet conditions on stage 16.

He crashed alongside 2019 champion Richard Carapaz with around 96km to go on the mountainous stage from Piazzola sul Brenta to San Valentino.

TV cameras did not film the incident but TNT Sports’ Adam Blyte, riding on the in-race motorbike, reported that the pair appeared to slide out on a roundabout and while Carapaz was swiftly back into the race, Roglic made his way to the team car and abandoned.

Roglic’s general classification bid appeared to essentially end on Sunday’s stage 15, when he lost a minute and a half to current race leader Isaac del Toro as he was distanced on the day’s climbs.

He said at the start of stage 16 that he was “fighting for survival”, admitting that fighting for GC was not “realistic anymore” and said that he had been unable to ride his bike on Monday’s rest day.

Roglic, who rides for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, won the race in 2023. His road career has often been hampered by crashes, including one in last year’s Tour de France which forced him to abandon, and this Giro has been a similar story.

The appalling weather conditions on stage 16 had earlier put paid to Josh Tarling’s Giro, as the Ineos Grenadiers rider - who won stage two’s time trial in Albania for his maiden Grand Tour victory - slid on the wet roads earlier on Tuesday and crashed into a barrier.

The 21-year-old did not continue and his team said on social media that he was “undergoing further assessment” with their medical staff.

VF Group-Bardiani-CSF Faizane rider Alessio Martinelli also abandoned Tuesday’s stage after a crash on a descent with around 110km left to race. The Italian was part of a 24-strong breakaway when he slid across the wet road on the descent and into a ravine. He was attended to by mountain rescue services and an ambulance, and his team later reported that he was conscious and taken to hospital.