German speedster Pascal Ackermann is in doubt for the rest of the Giro d'Italia cycle race, after crashing hard in the final stages of this morning's 10th stage to Modena.
After a 145km flat journey from Ravenna, the field was winding up for the sprint, when Ackermann fell, bringing down several riders behind him.
Afterwards, he crossed the finish line with his shorts and jersey in tatters, and visible road rash across his body.
"I just saw [Ackermann], he has some wounds," said Bora-Hansgrohe teammate Rudiger Selig. "We will see after taking a shower and then we will decide, but it will be a hard night for him."
Ackermann led the Giro's sprint standings comfortably after the ninth-stage time trial, but now enjoys only a one-point advantage over Frenchman Demare Arnaud, who survived today's carnage to take the stage.
Italian Valerio Conti still leads the overall standings, 1m 50s clear of Slovenian Primoz Roglic, with 11 stages remaining.
Tomorrow's 221km stage is another flat course and expected sprint finish, but it remains to be seen whether Ackermann will play any part.
"The team doctor's first reaction is that he thinks he will be able to race until Verona," said team director Christian Pomer.
"But personally, I think that's a very optimimstic point of view. He came down really hard."
Newshub.
