The Italian is the latest Deceuninck – Quick-Step rider to be put on the sidelines
On the attack in the last 35 kilometers of Tuesday’s Giro dell’Emilia, Mattia Cattaneo crashed on a downhill section and had to abandon the race, before being taken to the hospital in Bologna. There, after undergoing several examinations, it was revealed that he had a stable fracture of the D12 vertebral body.
The injury doesn’t require surgery, but a conservative approach, meaning that the 29-year-old Italian will have to respect a period of rest between six and eight weeks.
“I knew the downhill, as I did the race several times, but unfortunately I hit a small stone in the middle of the road with my front wheel. I tried to keep the balance, but couldn’t do it and crashed, hitting the guardrail. It makes me sad, because I was feeling the condition was getting better and was confident for the upcoming races”, Mattia said from the hospital.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
Mattia Cattaneo