Rain, slippery asphalt and a massive crash have disrupted the final stretch of the second stage of the Giro d'Italia in Bulgaria. It was a day to forget for many riders, particularly for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, heavily involved in the incident that split the peloton and left great concern within the Emirati team.

In the chaos of the crash, numerous athletes from the UAE formation hit the ground, with consequences still to be fully assessed. This was confirmed by the team's CEO, Mauro Gianetti, who recounted the tension experienced by the team after the stage.

"We were worried from the start because we know that this weather and the rain make the road very dangerous and it happened – Gianetti commented with concern at the end of the race - The whole team crashed, in fact, and we have two riders who are going to the hospital, so we can only hope it's nothing too serious".

Gianetti then confirmed the names of the two riders transported to the hospital for examinations: Jay Vine and Marc Soler. "Yes, it's Jay Vine and Marc Soler. Regarding their conditions we don't know anything, nothing is clear at the moment. We're just waiting for information from the doctor".

Great concern also for Adam Yates, one of the team's general classification contenders, who appeared in evident difficulty after the crash. Gianetti did not hide his pessimism about the consequences this episode could already have on the fight for the pink jersey.

"Adam Yates also suffered consequences. I mean, it's difficult for me to say right now what state we're in. We don't have useful information to give at the moment. But obviously, after such a big crash, it was impossible to think he could be in the front group".

Words that tell all the disappointment of a team that arrived at the Giro with great ambitions and is now forced to immediately deal with bad luck.

"So, yes, starting the Giro this way is very sad. But I hope and wish for everyone, including all members of other teams, to have no more serious injuries in the coming days".

At the moment there is no further news on the crashed riders and we await official updates on the conditions of those involved in the crash.