Damiano Cunego was in the escape of the 18° stage of the Giro d’Italia, in the right escape with an arrival perfect for him, ready to fight for the stage victory. But Damiano Cunego went to Gallarate hospital, after the bad fall with a broken collarbone. Tomorrow will be operated.
Giro d’Italia, 18° stage, with arrival in Verbania and the hard climb of the Monto Ologno less than 30 km before the arrival. A stage in which the NIPPO Vini Fantini have been preparing for Damiano Cunego, working to insert him in the perfect escape, with Gilbert (BMC), winner of today stage, and Chavanel (IAM). But to win on Damiano Cunego and the #OrangeBlue team is again, first of all, the bad luck. After the fall and the retirement of Daniele Colli, leader of the sprint and in a great condition, today it is the Damiano Cunego’s retirement after being involved in a bad fall. The #OrangeBlue is now recovered in Gallarate hospital where the medical equipe of the doctor Biban have diagnosed the broken right collarbone and an hematoma to the right elbow. The #OrangeBlue rider will be dismissed within this evening and he will move to Verona where the medical equipe of Professor Andrea Scagli is already waiting for him to procede with the medical surgery necessary to recompose the fracture.
The General Manager of the team Francesco Pelosi is highly sadden: “In this Giro d’Italia with young talented riders we had one great captain and one great moral leader. Both of them have been very unlucky, after loosing Daniele Colli when he was in his best moment, today has been Damiano Cunego to be involved in a bad fall when he was attacking in a stage that was fitting perfectly to him. We want to thank the medical equipe of the Giro d’Italia, with the doctor Tredici, always fast and professional with riders in the race. Now we are really sad, we are with our rider and we want him to rest and be with us again as soon as it will be possibile. Damiano and Daniele will both come back with more and more determination to win together.
Stefano Giuliani, ds of the team: “We have been really unlucky. Today we were looking to the stage victory, for sure it was the begin of great action in the right escape. All the best riders of today were in that escape. Damiano is a great person and a great captain, he finished his Giro attacking looking for a victory. But together we will take our re-match, yet in this season for sure.”