Guillaume Boivin survives crash scare on Giro d’Italia’s second stage

It was a tough day of racing in Sunday’s wet second stage of the Giro d’Italia, and particularly difficult for wild card squad Israel Cycling Academy, which had Canadian Guillaume Boivin and Swede Awet Gebremedhin crashing in the final third of the 205-km course. The sole Canadian in the 102nd Giro, Boivin came 137th in Sunday’s opening time trial. He managed to finish Sunday but was taken to a hospital for X-rays.

We can’t say enough about The ? heart of @Guillaumeboivin finishing the #GiroDItalia second stage with a bruised knee and lots of pain. First indication- nothing broken but will he be able to continue? The next hours will tell. pic.twitter.com/ab698OsjeN

— Israel Start-Up Nation / Israel Cycling Academy (@YallaIsraelSUN) May 12, 2019

ICA update from the #GirodItalia : Both our riders that crashed and suffered injuries have finished the stage – bravely !. @g_awet seems in better shape but @Guillaumeboivin was taken to x Rays.

— Israel Start-Up Nation / Israel Cycling Academy (@YallaIsraelSUN) May 12, 2019

With 63 km to go and the peloton making inroads on the breakaway’s gap before two categorized climbs, Boivin crashed and looked to be in some distress on the side of the road, with an injury to the left knee.

Chute de Guillaume Boivin à l'arrière du peloton. Le canadien peine à se relever mais réclame son vélo pour repartir. #Giro pic.twitter.com/Z0lflZa1Kc

— Le Gruppetto (@LeGruppetto) May 12, 2019

Concern on Twitter had several people asking Israel Cycling Academy about Boivin, and the team obliged.

Live in the team car at the Giro, -Oscar Guerrero “Not a good at so far. the first down hill was very slippery and tricky, Awet crashed two times but he came back.Guillaume has also crashed but he’s plane feels better. Now on the climb he’ll join a small group. Both seem ok….

— Israel Start-Up Nation / Israel Cycling Academy (@YallaIsraelSUN) May 12, 2019

Concern was that Boivin might finish outside the time limit (OTL), but both the Canadian and his Swedish teammate avoided the fate of Japan’s Hiroki Nishimura, who was OTL in Saturday’s opening time trial.

Meanwhile at #Giro2019, it’s going to be a long day for crash victim Guillaume Boivin. He was soldiering in, 10 minutes behind the bunch on Montalbano, 50km from the finish pic.twitter.com/nYNb800wqP

— Andy McGrath (@Andymcgra) May 12, 2019

The course was always going to favour a bunch sprint, and sure enough, the breakaway remnants were brought to heel with 7-km and the colour blocks formed. Bora-Hansgrohe, which had done most of the work in the peloton, delivered its sprinter Pascal Ackermann perfectly, and he earned his first Grand Tour victory in his first Grand Tour. Roglič Primož wasn’t put under any pressure and kept the pink jersey.

Even though Boivin wasn’t able to contribute to his team’s sprint train, his teammates Davide Cimolai and Kristian Sbaragli came sixth and ninth respectively.

2019 Giro d’Italia Stage 2
1) Pascal Ackermann (Germany/Bora-Hansgrohe) 4:44:43
2) Elia Viviani (Italy/Deceuninck-Quick Step) s.t.
3) Caleb Ewan (Australia/Lotto-Soudal) s.t.

2019 Giro d’Italia GC
1) Primož Roglič (Slovenia/Jumbo-Visma) 4:57:42
2) Simon Yates (Great Britain/Mitchelton-Scott) +0:19
3) Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Bahrain-Merida) +0:23