Rider rushed to hospital after SPEED BUMP on cycling sprint stage causes epic pile-up

Several riders were badly injured following a mass crash caused by a speed bump just 700 metres from the finish line of the second stage of the Tour of Burgos in Spain on Thursday.

The carnage saw close to a dozen sprinters – all racing at 50km/h – get flung from their bikes near the finish line in Villadiego in chaotic scenes.

French rider Damien Touze of the AG2R team was hospitalised after he ‘suffered a head trauma, followed by a concussion following his fall,’ it was confirmed on Twitter.

Touze’s teammate Clement Berthet fractured a finger, with both men ruled out for the remainder of the event.

Caja Rural competitors Orluis Aular (broken hand) and David Gonzalez Lopez (dislocated elbow) also will take no further part in the Tour.

A number of riders were injured (pictured) following a mass crash caused by a speed bump just 700 metres from the finish line of the Tour of Burgos second stage in Spain on Thursday

Quick-Step’s Jannik Steimle (broken collarbone) was also forced out.

Jumbo Visma’s Dutch rider David Dekker, who inadvertently caused the domino effect, escaped with a few minor scratches.

Dekker later told his followers on Twitter he was ‘OK considering what happened.’ He confirmed he didn’t see the speed bump and ‘lost complete control’ of his bike.

Many cycling fans on social media questioned why race organisers would choose a course featuring a speed bump.

Timo Roosen led Edoardo Affini across the line to snare stage honours, with Aussie Chris Harper third.

‘It was really hectic already, and we took the front, Affini just pulled full gas and it was an all-out effort,’ Roosen said post stage.

French athlete Damien Touze of the AG2R team (pictured) will take no further part in the race after he was hospitalised with a ‘head trauma, followed by a concussion following his fall’

Damien Touze (pictured with his girlfriend) was travelling at 50km when the carnage unfolded

‘There was some speed bump out of nowhere, I didn’t really see it. I heard something behind me, but I didn’t know what happened. 

‘I looked behind me, and I thought it was David (Deeker), and then I heard he had crashed. 

‘I went to the final corner at 250m and just sprinted to the line. It’s not the most beautiful way to win a race.’

Bahrain Victorious rider Santiago Buitrago leads the Tour of Burgos overall with three stages remaining.

The Colombian holds a three-second advantage over Ruben Guerreiro (EF Education EasyPost), Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers).