Juan Pedro López leaves the Giro Baby
The Spaniard Juan Pedro López left the Giro d’Italia U23 on Tuesday after another crash during the fourth stage damaged his battered left shoulder even more. The Spaniard finished in the Passo Maniva more than fifteen minutes from the winner, in the same group where Matteo Moschetti was riding. “Yesterday I got caught by a pile-up and fell off, shoulder first. It hurt a lot, even when I stood up. Or when we were hitting a pothole. As soon as we got to the mountain pass I had to open up, I couldn’t squeeze myself. It’s a pity, it gives me courage because I’m seeing in front of people I’ve been with in the Ronde l´Isard and I think I could be there, but that’s cycling,” he says.
“I can’t move my shoulder well, I’ve lost a lot of mobility. The doctor at the race told me not to even think about going out, because I have fluid in my tendons and that’s something that needs rest. The truth is that I had initially thought of trying to prove it, but Jesus said no, in case of a fall or an incident it would be worse. And the day went really bad, with a lot of rain. There are still a lot of races left this year. I think it’s the best option, but it’s a shame,” explains.
López, recently promoted from the U23 team after his great victory in the Vuelta al Bidasoa and his remarkable performance in the Spanish Cup, premiered with the continental Polartec-Kometa in the Italian round. In Forli’s prologue, in a modality against the clock that is not his main specialty, he signed a remarkable twenty-sixth position twelve seconds from the winner. In the first stage of the line, the Andalusian would lose eight minutes, weighted down by a double fall, while in the middle mountain of the finish in Sestola he would recover sensations, arriving with the wake of the main pack after working in favour of Matteo’s options. In the fourth stage, López would be one of the riders affected by the mountain climbing that took place in the first kilometers.
“It was a difficult decision, especially for him who was very excited about the Giro. But it’s the smartest thing to do, especially when you think about what’s coming next, Nationals and Valle d’Aosta. Juanpe has a severe concussion on a shoulder that has produced fluid. We waited to see how it evolved, but it has gone from strength to strength and cannot continue. He can’t move his shoulder well. It is impossible to keep a minimum of safety on the bike. Between him, the doctor and the team, we’ve chosen not to let him out. First and foremost is your safety and health. In addition, today there were port drops and in their condition it was not safe to compete. He has suffered four crashes in four days and that certainly does not make him get the best ratings, but the important thing was to start competing with the team and to integrate. The truth is that all his colleagues are very happy with him, with the work he has been doing. Now it’s time to rest and think about their next races, the Spanish Championships and the Valle de Aosta”, explains Jesús Hernández, team´s director.
(automatic translation, sorry for mistakes)
? Andrew Peat
