The Italian Wackermann suffered a concussion, a fracture of the nasal bone and a suspected fracture in the back and was forced to break the race.

The professional cyclists' organization CPA demands that the International Cycling Union UCI investigate the incident.

- There are times when you have to go straight to the point and say as it is: We have a problem with the safety of the races linked to mistakes by the organizers, says the stable Groupama-FDJ's sports director Marc Madiot to L'Equipe. 

Wackermann has now had to leave the hospital in Messina.

"His smile is our most important victory," wrote his stallion Vini Zabu-KTM on Twitter.