“The road was completely slippery” - Antonio Morgado recounts mass crash chaos that wiped out UAE on Stage 2 of Giro d'Italia 2026
Cycling
Antonio Morgado summed up UAE Team Emirates - XRG’s disastrous second day at the Giro d’Italia with a blunt assessment of the crash that changed the race before the finale into Veliko Tarnovo.
The Portuguese rider, who started the day in the white jersey after a strong opening stage, was among the UAE riders caught in the huge fall on wet roads inside the final 25 kilometres. Adam Yates also hit the deck and was seen covered in mud and blood, while Jay Vine was taken away from the race on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance before his abandon was confirmed.
For UAE, what had looked like a stage with several tactical options quickly became a damage limitation exercise. Morgado was forced to change bikes after the crash and later lost contact when the pace lifted on the Lyaskovets Monastery Pass.
Speaking afterwards to Cycling Pro Net, Morgado said the danger had been obvious before the incident unfolded. “Yeah, I think everybody knew somebody was going to crash with this pavement,” he said. “The bad luck was with us.”
“We went outside of the corner and we crashed”
The crash came after a long day of rain and greasy road surfaces in Bulgaria. The peloton had only just brought back the breakaway of Diego Pablo Sevilla and Mirco Maestri when the bunch hit a slippery section and multiple riders went down.
Several UAE riders were involved, turning the team’s Stage 2 into one of the major stories of the day. Yates was able to remount, but the images of the British GC contender covered in mud and blood underlined how heavy the fall had been. Morgado also needed mechanical assistance before trying to chase back.
Asked what had happened from his perspective, Morgado pointed directly to the road conditions. “The road was completely slippery,” he said. “Everybody knew that. This is why there was a big fight. We went outside of the corner and we crashed.”
The scale of the crash forced the race to be temporarily neutralised while medical vehicles attended to the fallen riders. The peloton rolled slowly before racing resumed, but several riders were still chasing or receiving assistance when the stage came back to life.
UAE left counting the damage
The timing of the crash made the situation even more damaging. Within minutes of the restart, the race hit the Red Bull kilometre and then the final climb to the monastery of Lyaskovets, where the pace rose sharply.
Morgado, who had been among the riders suited to the punchy finale before the crash, was dropped almost as soon as the climb began. Yates was also left trying to manage the aftermath of his fall, while Vine’s abandon represented the clearest immediate loss for UAE.
Jan Christen gave the team one positive note, briefly following Jonas Vingegaard when the Dane attacked on the final climb before eventually finishing in the front group. But for UAE as a whole, Stage 2 was defined by the crash and its consequences. Morgado was asked how the team would now approach the Giro after such a heavy setback. “Let’s see,” he said. “I also feel a little bit of pain, but we are not going to quit.”
That message at least gave UAE something to hold onto after a chaotic day. The team left Veliko Tarnovo with bodies bruised, options reduced and its race already reshaped by one slippery corner.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
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- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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