Crash puts Sicard's Tour debut in doubt

Romain Sicard's troubled lead-up to the Tour de France continued in Monday's second stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné.

The once-prodigious Frenchman has centred his season around what will be his maiden Grand Boucle in July, but his form thus far this year has been everything but convincing.

He struggled with the pace on the climbs on Sunday, and today he injured his knee.

The 25-year-old hit the deck with some 50 clicks to ride together with fellow Tour-bound rider Mikel Nieve. But while the latter got up and finished the stage safe and sound in the pack, Sicard never managed to get back on and ended up ceding a massive ten minutes. According to the team's website, his knee is bruised and "time will show how it evolves".

Away from the mini-drama at Euskaltel, Elia Viviani sprinted to the win from a 70-man strong peloton in Oyonnax. Samuel Sánchez, Egoi Martínez, Nieve and Gorka Izagirre all finished inside the pack.

Results (full results here):

• (1, Elia Viviani (Cannondale), 4:39:15)
• 38, Samuel Sánchez, s.t.
• 40, Egoi Martínez, s.t.
• 49, Mikel Nieve, s.t.
• 71, Gorka Izagirre, s.t.
• 82, Mikel Astarloza, 2:07
• 149, Romain Sicard, 10:14
• 150, Peio Bilbao, s.t.
• 155, Ricardo García, 11:41

Photo: Euskaltel Euskadi