“It wasn't just a concussion” – More details emerge from Filippo Ganna’s Tour de France disaster

Filippo Ganna’s Tour de France campaign ended before it had a chance to begin. After a promising spring season that saw him go head-to-head with top names like Pogacar, Van der Poel, and Pedersen in the monuments, the Italian had been eyeing the Tour for a serious impact. But a crash on Stage 1 derailed everything. Though he attempted to continue, he abandoned before the stage ended, with INEOS Grenadiers later confirming he had suffered a concussion.

Speaking to Bici.Pro, Ganna’s time trial coach Dario Cioni detailed the extent of the damage and the long road back. “As soon as he got back on the bike, after a few kilometers it was clear that he was suffering from concussion symptoms, and at that point his withdrawal from the race was automatic.

“After a while, it became clear that it wasn't just a concussion, but also something very similar to a lumbago. His neck hurt, and it took almost three weeks for him to regain normality.” Cioni added, “He recently resumed full work, when we were certain the problems had been overcome.”

The original plan had Ganna pencilled in for the Tour de Pologne as a lead-up to the Vuelta, but his recovery ruled that out. “The Vuelta was already on the agenda. There was a moment when we considered doing the Poland stage, but in the end, with those symptoms not resolving, the choice was forced. The conditions weren't there, nor was there time to return to racing any earlier. You can't send a rider who's just got back in the saddle to compete in a high-level race.”

Cioni also reflected on what the missed Tour might mean for the rest of Ganna’s season. “It's hard to estimate how much he lost, but the good news is that he was doing well. If he had completed 4 or 5 stages, it would have been better because he would have worked and had a chance to recover from the crash.

“However, stopping so quickly, after a few days of not working much, was negative. In any case, if you stop when you're feeling well, you lose less than if you were forced to stop when you're finished.”

As for his late-season goals, the World Championships are off the table. “No, in the sense that the World Championships are still too tough. I think the European Championships are more within his reach, but before making such considerations, it's better to race the Vuelta and then take stock of the situation.”

Cioni confirmed his presence at Ganna’s side during key Vuelta stages: “I'll be with Filippo at the Vuelta for the team time trial on day five and the individual time trial in Valladolid on day eighteen. We'll see how it goes, and then we can possibly talk to Villa about participating in the European Championships.”