Rider collapses after crossing finishing line in ‘Volta a Catalunya’

Rider collapses after crossing finishing line in 'Volta a Catalunya'

Rider collapses after crossing finishing line in 'Volta a Catalunya'. image: Twitter@BHRVictorious

Huge drama on first day of Volta a Catalunya as Italian rider Sonny Colbrelli collapses after crossing finishing line

The 101st edition of the famous Volta a Catalunya cycling race started on Monday, March 21, with the pack heading off from the starting line in the comarca of Sant Feliu de Guixols in Girona, Catalonia. Drama ensued at the end of this first stage as one rider collapsed after crossing the finishing line.

Sonny Colbrelli had finished second in the sprint, but as the Italian crossed the finish line he hit the ground. He was immediately attended by the emergency services who were on standby. Initial reports are that he suffered a cardiac arrest.

As the rider lay on the floor, he was quickly cordoned off by officials, to prevent members of the public from trying to capture photographs or videos of the incident. This action only added to the tension, as ambulance crews tended to Colbrelli, reportedly administering cardiac massage.

Once the rider had regained consciousness he was placed into an ambulance and transferred to the nearest hospital. An official statement from the race organisers indicated heart problems. It is believed that Colbrelli competed in the Volta a Catalunya still suffering from bronchitis, so it can not be ruled out that his collapse had to do with said condition.

Team Bahrain Victorious, Colbrelli’s team, issued an official statement through its Twitter account, clarifying the status of the Italian cyclist.

“After the sprint of the first stage of the Volta a Catalunya, Sonny Colbrelli fell unconscious. He received medical assistance and was in stable condition before being transferred by ambulance to the Hospital Universitari de Girona for treatment”, it read.

In addition, the team thanked the quick reaction of those who attended to their cyclist. “Team Bahrain Victorious would like to thank the organisers of the Volta a Catalunya and the medical teams for their support and assistance”, they added, as reported by 20minutos.es.

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Written by

Chris King

Originally from Wales, Chris spent years on the Costa del Sol before moving to the Algarve where he is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com

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