Filippo Pozzato out of the Giro d’ Italia 2012
Filippo Pozzato of Team Farnese Vini-Selle was working his way slowly towards the top at the ongoing Giro d’ Italia 2012.
The Italian rode brilliantly during the stage 9 of the race as he overcame the race favourites in the final sprint of the 171 kilometre stage 9.
The peloton approached towards the final turn of the race as the duo of Mark Renshaw and Mark Cavendish collided and took a number of cyclists with them.
Pozzato managed to get back on his bike and continued riding towards the finish line.
He completed the race at the 114th spot with almost two minutes down the race leader Francisco Jose Ventoso Alberdi of Team Movistar.
Filippo injured his hand and could not start the tenth stage of the race which was a big disappointment for a number of fans who came to see their local hero.
Reports have revealed that the cyclist has a micro-fracture on his right hand and has been advised by the Team Doctor to take some time unless he fully recovers from the crash.
The team noted, “His hand is so swollen that it is better to give up”
“Pippo cannot even close his hand and has a lot of pain. If he continued riding, there was too much risk that the situation could deteriorate”.
He was leading Team Farnese Vini-Selle Italia at the race and was an important component of the Italian side.
While sharing his disappointment on missing out the Giro d’ Italia, he told Cyclingnews, “It’s a pity to leave the Giro, I had the form for winning a stage”.
"Yesterday evening I went to hospital. A fracture was diagnosed on my scaphoid. But I still tried to ride my bike this morning”.
“As I realized that I couldn’t use my brakes or my derailleur, it appeared that I shouldn’t try to continue the Giro,” he concluded.
The 30-year-old is having a good season and has filled his bag with a number of commendable performances in the current season.
He finished first at the GP Industria & Artigianato di Larciano, second at the Tour of Flanders, sixth at the Milan-San Remo and occupied the seventh overall spot during the stage 6 of the Giro d’ Italia 2012.
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