Disaster strikes Astana Qazaqstan Team, as Giro team crumble on first mountain stage

Astana Qazaqstan Team have had far from a strong season so far, however it has taken yet another bad turn as Miguel Ángel López' preparation for the Giro d'Italia have collapsed as the Colombian rider succumed to a hip injury.

Team doctor Emilio Magni has said: "Miguel Angel has some thigh problems for a few days already. We tried to do our best to solve it during the first stages in Budapest and during the rest day, but it did not work. Today, unfortunately, he had to stop. Our first diagnosis is the tendon inflammation to the left quadriceps due probable overload or old injury." The Colombian got off the bike early in the fourth stage, after several trips to the cars had indicated something was off.

"It is really sad to finish the Giro in this way after just four days due to an injury. The team staff did all possible to help me to recover during these days, but it was impossible in racing conditions. I was hoping day by day that it becomes better and I could pass it, but today I just could not push the pedals normally due to the pain in my thigh," López himself added. He had prepared his first half of the season towards the Italian race, but sees his race ended before he could even test himself in the mountains.

The team could still rely on David de la Cruz and Vincenzo Nibali for the overall classification, but the Spaniard has switched off on the climb to Mount Etna and Vincenzo Nibali lost over two minutes to most GC contenders, despite the pace not having been pushed too hard.

With no assigned leader now, the team will likely refocus on stage wins, possibly the KOM classification. It is early on in the race to change their ambitions and race effectively, and the team has many climbers they can count on to perform in the coming weeks.