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It was tough, very tough, but it could have been a lot worse.
Alejandro Valverde was forced this Friday to leave the Tour of Spain due to a crash, but he must give thanks for not having suffered much more serious consequences.
About 45 kilometers from the finish, while attacking to form a group alongside riders like
Yates
and
Carapaz
, the former world champion lost control of his bike due to a pothole and ended up on an embankment after sliding under the road guardrail.
The race took place on a smooth and well paved road, in a slight downhill section, in a context of attack but without exaggerated speed.
Valverde drew a curve behind Carapaz, but the bike made him a stranger and he shot out of the curve.
He was fortunate, within the misfortune, that at that point the guardrail was partially interrupted for access to a path, so his head passed under it and the body rushed where there was no protection.
@Movistar_Team
José Joaquín Rojas
helped his inseparable companion out of the slope towards which he had rushed.
In the first instance, Valverde assured that he could not continue in the race while being treated by the race doctors.
However, in a new display of determination, he got on the bike, bruised and in great pain, and started walking again.
However, less than ten kilometers later, in which he was accompanied by two teammates, he had to give up continuing in the race and confirmed his second abandonment in 15 participations in La Vuelta, the first since its premiere in distant 2002.
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Stage 7 of the Vuelta: Gandía - Balcón de Alicante