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Bad luck for Cavendish as he crashes out of Abu Dhabi Tour in neutral zone

Manx Missile suffers concussion, Kristoff takes win

Mark Cavendish (Great Britain/Dimension Data) wasn’t 5-km into the opening day of 2018 WorldTour’s second stage race, the Abu Dhabi Tour, when he was forced to abandon due following a neutral zone crash. Cavendish went down on the same right shoulder he injured in the infamous crash with Peter Sagan in last season’s Tour de France but, in fact, suffered a concussion.

Cavendish had recently won his first race in almost a year and claimed three stages of the United Arab Emirates’ Abu Dhabi Tour in 2016 and 2017.

Apparently, the crash occurred soon after the start at the Madinat Zaya when the race director’s car slowed suddenly. Several riders were involved in the crash. Cavendish eventually tagged back onto the peloton but then had to abandon. Later it was revealed that Dimension Data’s main concern was the Manx Missile’s concussion.

The flat stage played out in the usual way: the sprinters’ teams chased down a breakaway. Canadian Svein Tuft toiled for teammate Caleb Ewan.

It was Norwegian Alexander Kristoff taking his second victory in three days for UAE-Emirates, edging out Andrea Guardini (Italy/Bardiani-CSF). Ewan was third. Michael Woods and Tuft, both starting their 2018 campaigns in the UAE, finished in the bunch.