Spanish cyclist Jaume Guardeno sustained a serious injury in a training crash and is currently receiving intensive care treatment in hospital, according to a statement from his team, Caja Rural-RGA. The incident occurred last Tuesday during a training session following his participation in the Tour of Catalonia.

Guardeno suffered a fall that resulted in a collision with a vehicle, leading to severe injuries. Spanish media reports indicate he sustained a head injury after losing control of his bike when he rode over a stone and hit a car. He was airlifted by helicopter to Hospital Tauli in Sabadell, where he remains in the ICU with serious injuries under close observation.

The promising 23-year-old rider finished 29th in the Tour of Catalonia last week and 14th in last year's Vuelta a España Grand Tour. In their statement, Caja Rural-RGA expressed support: "We want to express all our support and strength to Jaume and his family during this time, wishing him a speedy and full recovery."

In a separate development, former Olympic champion Richard Carapaz has undergone surgery for a perineal condition just a month before the Giro d’Italia. The 32-year-old Ecuadorian, who won the Giro in 2019, finished second in 2022, and took third place last year, aims to recover in time to compete for a fourth podium finish in the race. Carapaz posted on Instagram: "It wasn’t part of the plan, but it was handled in the best possible way."

Carapaz, who claimed gold in the road race at the Tokyo Olympics, missed the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España due to illness last year. He added: "From today, I’m fully focused on my recovery and on getting back to peak condition ahead of the Giro."

Source: www.aljazeera.com