"A disastrous day for Bahrain Victorious at the Tour de France"
In a heartbreaking turn of events during stage seven of the 2021 Tour de France, Australian rider Jack Haig and his teammate Santiago Buitrago were involved in a high-speed crash approximately 6 kilometres from the finish line at Mûr-de-Bretagne[1][2].
Haig, who was a GC (General Classification) contender for Bahrain Victorious, was forced to abandon the race due to the injuries sustained in the crash[1][2]. Buitrago, despite finishing the stage, lost around 13 minutes and suffered serious skin abrasions, as described by teammate Matej Mohorič as "not much skin left on his back"[2][3][4].
The crash had a substantial negative impact on the team's performance and ambitions. Both Haig and Buitrago were Bahrain-Victorious' general classification hopes and had been preparing intensely for the race[2]. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of cycling, where months of preparation can be undone in a matter of seconds due to an unfortunate accident[2].
While other riders involved in the crash finished the stage minutes later, Haig's abandonment and Buitrago’s time loss effectively ended their chances of competing for the overall Tour de France title that year[1][2][3].
Bahrain Victorious, however, still has two-thirds of the race remaining. Team talisman Matej Mohorič expressed that the team still has ambitions to go for a stage win with others[5]. Mohorič, who has experienced similar incidents before, specifically with Mikel Landa in the Giro d'Italia, described cycling as a cruel sport after the incidents involving Haig and Buitragon[6].
Roman Kreuziger, the team's sports director, had a frustrating and unwanted day for the team: "Yep," he sighed. "This is cycling." Buitrago will be assessed overnight, and a decision on whether he will continue in the race will be made tomorrow[7].
Despite the setbacks, Mohorič remains optimistic about the team's prospects in the remaining stages: "That's the Tour de France: one moment it's pretty sunflower fields and massive crowds, and the next it's a hellish nightmare."
References: [1] Cyclingnews.com, 2021. Tour de France stage 7: Jack Haig, Jai Hindley crash out as Tadej Pogačar wins. [online] Available at: [Accessed 10 July 2021]. [2] Cyclingweekly.com, 2021. Jack Haig forced to abandon Tour de France after crash. [online] Available at:
The crash during stage seven of the 2021 Tour de France significantly affected Bahrain Victorious' performance and ambitions, as their General Classification contenders Jack Haig and Santiago Buitrago were involved. Haig, a GC contender for Bahrain Victorious, was forced to abandon the race due to the injuries sustained in the crash.
