A terrible descent for Movistar Team
05 March 2011

While yesterday's opening stage in the Vuelta a Murcia saw no crashes harming Movistar Team, misfortune struck today the riders from the Spanish squad. Rubén Plaza and Mauricio Soler were forced to give up due to respective serious falls during the Collado Bermejo descent, in the closing 10km of the stage.

The duo was riding on front of the race -Plaza making the pursuit of the five riders in the lead, Soler on the next group along with teammates Kiryienka and Fran Pérez- before the dangerous downhill, which caused both accidents. Both were taken by ambulance to the Virgen de Arrixaca hospital in Murcia, where the first checks revealed, in Plaza’s case, a fracture in his tibia and fibula near the ankle, an injury which will force the Spaniard to undergo surgery in the upcoming days. In turn, Soler, with several wounds in his left leg, seems not to have any major injuries after the preliminary revision. The stage saw the win and leadership takeover by Alberto Contador (SBS), while Movistar Team -which had up to four riders within the best fifteen in the race before the crashes- has Fran Pérez -10th overall- and Vasil Kiryienka as their main performers after today’s finish. The race’s finale will be held on Sunday, with a 12km ITT in the Murcian capital.