UCI commissaires have expelled the Itzulia Basque Country race doctor's car – although in practice this means the individual driving the vehicle in question – from the event after causing the crash that left local star Mikel Landa (Soudal-QuickStep) injured during stage 2 and finally out of the race.
On the high-speed, narrow descent of the first-category San Miguel de Aralar, Landa fell heavily after he collided with the race doctor's car.
It was unclear how the accident actually happened, but television footage showed the 36-year-old moments afterwards lying on the ground next to the road. The Basque veteran looked to be injured but was conscious and talking to an unidentified race medic and some concerned spectators, and he was subsequently able to continue.
67th and over 13 minutes down at the finish line behind stage winner and race leader Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM), Landa was then taken to hospital for a checkup, where fractures were ruled out.
However, he was badly beaten up with multiple bruises and road rash, and his team decided on Wednesday morning that he would not start stage 3 of the race.
In their update after stage 2, the UCI confirmed that the race doctor's car would be removed from the race, although in practice this refers to the driver, not the actual medic or the car, and the individual behind the wheel would be fined 500 Swiss Francs. After being initially penalised with a yellow card, he was later fully expelled from the race.
A former double stage winner in Itzulia, his home race, and a runner-up overall in 2018 and 2023, Landa's bad luck regarding crashes has regrettably been something of a defining element during much of his career.
A huge fall in the Giro d'Italia last year was his most recent major crash before Itzulia, leaving him out for the count for much of the season. He also suffered a bad fall in Itzulia in 2024, breaking a collarbone.
Soudal-QuickStep management was highly critical of the incident in Itzulia Basque Country, with team CEO Jurgen Foré telling Het Nieuwsblad, "He was just 10 seconds behind the group in front. Why would a doctor’s car need to overtake riders in that situation? It’s incomprehensible.”
“We do everything for safety, and then something like this happens. As a team, you are left with nothing, and you still have to handle the consequences.”
Later in the same stage on the final unclassified rise to the summit finish at Cuevas de Mendukilo, a spectator could be seen lying in the road, after he was reportedly struck by a race motorbike.
