Dutchman still managed to finish stage to the Covadonga, but had to retire while sitting 23rd overall
The frustrating, bone breaking 2010 season for Laurens Ten Dam continued at the Vuelta on Sunday. The Dutchman crashed early in the fifteenth stage and was transported to the hospital following his 37th place finish atop the Lagos de Covadonga.
The hospital's findings were yet another fracture for the promising climber. Rabobank director sportif Adri van Houwelingen confirmed to Sporza this morning that Ten Dam had once again broken his wrist.
This is his third crash resulting in broken bones of the season. Ten Dam's season began ominously with a broken hip at the Ruta Del Sol. After making a great comeback and returning to form just in time for the Tour de France, Ten Dam crashed at the Tour de Suisse and broke his left wrist, two vertebrae, and his chin.
Another period of rest and recovery resulted, but once again, Ten Dam was able to return to top form, this time, he was angling for the World Championships in October, but unfortunately, that now seems to be an impossibility.
The 29 year old's Vuelta a Espana had been a solid one spent mainly in support of overall captain, Denis Menchov, but he was also managing to put together a solid run on the GC - he sat 23rd on the overall classification following Sunday's fifteenth stage. Ten Dam also scored a solid result when he made Stage 10's big break and managed a notable 9th place on the day.
Back in June, Ten Dam was terribly downtrodden following the crash that would take him out of the Tour de France: "It's awful…This is a tough blow." It's hard to imagine the rider isn't at least as down considering the noteworthy ride he was putting in at the year's final Grand Tour.