UAE Team Emirates-XRG's injury list grows yet again as Filippo Baroncini crashes in France

UAE Team Emirates-XRG's challenging season continued at Tro-Bro Léon, where Filippo Baroncini sustained a suspected broken collarbone following a crash. This incident adds the Italian U23 World Champion to a growing injury list for the squad, coming hot on the heels of their Giro d'Italia campaign, which saw three riders – Robert Gesink, Olav Kooij, and Christophe Laporte – withdraw in the opening three stages due to various ailments and crashes.

This latest setback for UAE Team Emirates-XRG highlights a worrying trend for a team that, despite its considerable budget and talent, seems plagued by misfortune. Baroncini's injury, particularly after the high-profile withdrawals from the Giro, raises questions about rider welfare, preparation, or perhaps simply a statistically improbable run of bad luck. The team's depth will be tested, especially with key Grand Tour objectives still on the horizon, as they navigate the remainder of the spring classics and prepare for summer.

One might begin to suspect that the team's medical staff are earning their salaries in overtime this season. At this rate, their physios will be as well-known as their star riders.