Ellen van Dijk joins Norsgaard, Cavalli in Vuelta Femenina abandons after crash-affected start

Ellen van Dijk (Lidl-Trek) is the latest rider to abandon the Vuelta Femenina as the effects of crashes in the early stages of the race.

Van Dijk crashed during the opening team time trial on Sunday – which Lidl-Trek won – and rode through the next two road stages, but confirmed on Wednesday morning that she will not start stage 4, as she is still suffering from the impact of her crash.

“After I struggled a lot to get to the finish yesterday, we decided to give the body what it needs right now,” Van Dijk said in a Tweet.

“With many more goals on the horizon, the best decision is to prioritize Ellen’s long-term recovery,” her team added. Van Dijk has only recently returned to racing after maternity leave, and is aiming at Olympic gold in the time trial this summer.

AG Insurance-Soudal’s Justine Ghekiere will also not start stage 4, after struggling and losing time on both stages 2 and 3. The team were meant to start with a GC triple-threat of Ghekiere, Sarah Gigante and Ashleigh Moolman Pasio, but are now down to just Gigante after illness sidelined Moolman Pasio ahead of the race.

Read more: Sarah Gigante blog: I feel ready for the Vuelta Femenina

“Justine doesn't feel fit and, after consultation with the team, has decided not to start in the fourth stage and to undergo further medical examination,” a statement from the team read.

Van Dijk and Ghekiere add their names to a growing list of riders who have already dropped out of the race after three stages, with several big names leaving early.

Returning from injury, Marta Cavalli (FDJ-SUEZ) did not start stage 3 after crashing in the finale of stage 2, though no serious injuries have been reported. Her teammate Vittoria Guazzini failed to finish stage 3.

Emma Norsgaard (Movistar) also crashed on the second stage and started stage 3, but climbed off and was taken to hospital part way through the stage. The team confirmed the reasons for her DNF – “pain to elbow (bruise + stitches received after Monday’s stage two) + significant cervical contracture following yesterday’s crash” – but said further examinations did not reveal any more serious injuries.

Another rider who was on the path back from injury was Anna Henderson (Visma-Lease a Bike), who rebroke the collarbone she fractured in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in a crash on stage 2.

India Grangier (Coop-Repsol), Clara Emond (EF Education-Cannondale) and Natalie Grinczer (Roland) also left the race on Tuesday. Grinczer looked to be worst affected in a crash near the finish, but her team confirmed that she was “hospitalised, stable and will remain under observation to recover from the heavy blow of the fall.”

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