"Those of us in the area know that curve very well…" - Joseba Beloki on the unprotected section of Itzulia Basque Country that left Vingegaard, Evenepoel & more with broken bones

Thursday's stage of the 2024 Itzulia Basque Country was rocked by a massive crash. First reports suggested youngster, Markel Beloki had been caught up in the incident although that wasn't the case.

This news was fully confirmed by Beloki's father, former star of the peloton in his own right, Joseba Beloki via his official X (Twitter) account. "First, thank you for the messages you have sent me asking if Markel was in the fall as the first news indicated. He hasn't fallen," Beloki senior writes.

Knowing the roads however, Beloki was well aware of the threat of a crash on that particular downhill section of the stage. "Those of us in the area know that curve very well…" he says. "Easy because of the angulation but very complicated because of the ground. Internal roots surprise you in the middle of the road. How many incidences during the year at this point?"

This being a known area of danger is not something that was only known to Beloki either. Plenty of voices have emerged in the time since the crash that has left the likes of Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel among others, laying in a hospital bed with broken bones.