Crash mayhem in Brussels

Euskaltel had a Saturday to forget in Belgium, with several of their riders hitting the tarmac in the Brussels Cycling Classic.

Ricardo Mestre, Steffen Radochla and Robert Vrecer all came unstuck in the hectic one-day race eventually taken out by André Greipel in a sprint. Fortunately for the trio, they all escaped serious injury though.

Euskaltel, having decided to not field their best sprinters, had no say in the final outcome. Garikoitz Bravo was the team's top man in 40th.

Jure Kocjan, still not even close to rediscovering something vaguely reminiscent of his old self after an illness-plagued season, abandoned.

Results:

• (1, André Greipel (Lotto-Belisol), 4:55:58)
• 40, Garikoitz Bravo, s.t.
• 72, Ricardo Mestre, 0:45
• 118, Mikel Astarloza, 1:29
• 147, Robert Vrecer, 6:13
• 157, Steffen Radochla, s.t.
• 170, Ioannis Tamouridis, 15:44
• 171, Jon Aberasturi, s.t.

Photo: BCPT