Two Bora-Hansgrohe riders are taken down while stage winners Michelton-Scott narrowly avoid a similar collision with a woman and her dog at the Italian stage race
Wednesday 13 March 2019 19:08, UK
Two riders were caught up in a high-speed collision with a pedestrian in the opening stage of Tirreno-Adriatico.
Bora-Hansgrohe riders Oscar Gatto and Rafal Majka collided with a man who walked in front of them shortly after they started the 13-mile (21.5km) team time trial.
Winning team Mitchelton-Scott also narrowly avoided a similar accident when a woman and her dog stepped onto the course as they rounded the final corner.
In the first incident most of the Bora-Hansgrohe team, including three-time world champion Peter Sagan, swerved wide of danger but Gatto and Majka both ploughed into the pedestrian who fell to the floor.
The man was taken to hospital but he wasn't seriously hurt.
The second incident came as the Mitchelton-Scott team navigated a chicane with less than a mile (1.2km) left to race.
As they emerged from the corner, a woman and her dog can be seen staggering back in the middle of the road as the riders speed past.
Despite the tense moment, Mitchelton-Scott went on to record a seven-second victory on the opening stage.
