Sky consider action over Flecha crash

Flecha was in the five-man breakaway 35km from the end of Sunday’s 208km ninth stage from Issoire to Saint-Flour when he was hit by a French television vehicle, slamming to the tarmac and knocking fellow escapee Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil) off the road and into a barbed wire fence.

Tour organisers Amaury Sports Organisation excluded the car for the remainder of the race, but Brailsford is leading an investigation into the incident.

Speaking at the Team Sky hotel in the Massif Central during yesterday’s rest day, Brailsford said: “It was plain for everyone to see – that crash shouldn’t have happened. Everybody saw it, everyone saw the severity of it so I don’t think we need to fan the flames of that anymore.

“Once you’ve got the facts then you can decide and evaluate whether there’s an opportunity for the police to do something. There are different options available. We need to have a clear picture of what those options are.”

Flecha, who went to hospital for X-rays fearing he had suffered a fractured elbow, plans to start today’s 158km 10th stage from Aurillac to Carmaux.