It is our Luca Bettini who documents the terrible crash of Alessio Martinelli, the VF Group Bardiani rider who went off-road during the descent towards Trento.

The Valtellina rider was in a breakaway and in a right-hand curve lost control of his bicycle and slid at high speed towards the roadside: he managed to lift his head, realize he was about to hit the guardrail, passed underneath it and ended up in the woods below.

Immediately Race Radio raised the alarm, asking support vehicles to clear the way for the ambulance, but rescuing Martinelli was not simple, to the point that alpine rescue personnel had to intervene who rappelled into the woods and used a pulley to lift the stretcher with Martinelli back to the road.

The rider, conscious, was then transported to Trento hospital and his team wrote that his conditions are stable, warning that they will provide updated information as soon as possible.

UPDATE AT 5:40 PM. The VF Group Bardiani CSF Faizan informs that Alessio Martinelli has not suffered any fractures and there is a beautiful image of Alessio Martinelli smiling and giving a thumbs up which comforts us. How wonderful!

to be continued