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Cycling Giro d'Italia

Giro d'Italia: 'Careless!' - Dangerously tossed bottle from Thomas Champion almost causes nasty crash

ByDan Quarrell

Published 23/05/2024 at 16:09 GMT+1

Thomas Champion (Cofidis) was left smiling as he greeted a nearby camera, but he could have been apologising profusely to a fellow rider after he got away with a "careless" toss of a bottle into the path of another bike. The incident came during a slow phase of the day's racing on Stage 18 when the bottles were out to hydrate the riders with a sudden crash not having been on the cards.

'A bit careless!' - Champion dangerously tosses bottle under rival's bike

Video credit: TNT Sports

There was almost a nasty and needless crash at an innocuous moment during Stage 18 of the Giro d'Italia on Thursday afternoon.

As many riders took a serene moment to take on board some fluids in the peloton, Thomas Champion (Cofidis) almost caused a fellow rider to tumble as he casually tossed his bottle right under the wheels of his bike.

Champion must have had his mind elsewhere as he flicked the bottle towards the side of the road, before realising that he had riders coming up on his right.

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In an incredible stroke of luck for everyone involved, the bottle somehow somersaulted through the middle of the two wheels, causing only a slight wobble of the back tyre.

It could have been so much worse all round, but thankfully, Champion was able to smile and pose at a nearby Eurosport TV camera as it passed him following the heart-in-the-mouth moment.

The potentially painful incident left Eurosport's commentators very surprised as they reacted to the passage of the race.

"Ooh! Did he get him?" asked a shocked Dan Lloyd on commentary for Eurosport at the time.

"That was a bit careless! Thomas Champion - almost a strike."

Robbie McEwen added: "Straight under! Yes, and we have seen it in the past. Just ask Geraint Thomas how dangerous that can be."

The start of the 178km route from Fiera di Primiero to Padova saw some torrential rain and very tricky conditions for the riders before the weather settled down nicely through the stage.

Lloyd, commentating at the start of the day's racing, described the scene as "hold on and hope" conditions.