Featured Image Credit: GCN
Topics: Sport, World News
Chloe Rowland
Cyclist Eduard Prades was left feeling pretty red-faced after crashing while celebrating what he thought was his first-place victory at the 2022 Tour of Hellas – only to end up coming in second. Ouch.
The Spanish sportsman had an experience he'd probably like to swiftly forget yesterday, 27 April, as footage of the painful incident emerged online.
Prades was looking poised for the win – or so he thought – as he took the lead at the peloton in Stage One at the event in Greece.
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Unfortunately, as he bolted it to the finish line of the opening stage, Prades celebrated a little too early, and as he rose his arms in victory, his saddle came loose, sending him flying backwards into the tarmac.
And if that wasn't painful enough, the 34-year-old later came to realise he'd actually placed second after all, unaware at the time of his premature victory that there was a rider already out front.
In the end, it was Aaron Gate with a time of 4:24:10 that took the number one spot, with Prades coming 1:46 behind.
"Oh, Prades hits the deck in a moment of celebration... I'm not sure he was celebrating second – I suspect he thought he had won the race. That is a bit of a shock to the system, isn't it, for Eduard Prades," said Eurosport commentator Declan Quigley.
Watch the moment below:
"What about this moment: he won the gap for second, thought it was a victory, and that was potentially a very painful moment indeed. Back on his feet, and he will have a visit to the podium."
Speaking following the unfortunate incident on his Instagram, Prades seemed to take it all on the chin: “Everything pointed to riding for the win.
“When I looked at the TV bikes, the support cars, and the way our group was heading, I had the feeling that we were riding for the win. I thought that the leading group had already been caught, but it turned out that I had misjudged that.
“At least I have a photo that I really wanted for my son."
It has since been reported that a mechanical failure in the saddle of his bike may have been responsible for the crash, although this has yet to be confirmed.
Safe to say, if you thought you were having a bad day, spare a thought for Prades.
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