Vuelta hit by another cyclist-motorbike crash

Paulinho Vuelta

After Tinkoff-Saxo team-mates Peter Sagan and Sergio Paulinho were hit by vehicles and forced out of the Vuelta a Espana, the team are considering whether they can continue in the race.

Sagan was hit by a neutral assistance motorbike during Saturday's eighth stage and was forced to withdraw after suffering wounds to his left leg and buttock.

Former green jersey holder Sagan's withdrawal led to a series of statements from Tinkoff - who initially contemplated legal action before calling for a public apology from organisers.

And the team were angered again when Paulinho was hit by a television motorbike on Wednesday - the incident requiring the rider to need six internal and eleven external stitches.

After the early collision, Paulinho sought to continue but was forced to call it quits shortly before the stage's first summit.

In a statement Tinkoff branded the incident as "reckless and unacceptable", questioning whether the race is safe for riders.

"Can organisers of Vuelta a Espana guarantee a safe race? This is the question everybody involved in the sport of cycling should be asking after Sergio Paulinho was hit by a reckless TV motorcycle in the first kilometers of the Vuelta stage 11," the team stated.

"[Paulinho] was taken to the hospital in Andorra where the doctors applied six internal and eleven external stitches. The internal stitches were needed in order to close an artery that was affected by the hit.

"Paulinho will undergo further medical examinations and a complete medical report will be made public as soon as possible.

"Given the seriousness of the two accidents that involved riders of Tinkoff-Saxo at the Vuelta a Espana, the team will consider whether it is safe to continue racing under the current arrangements."

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