Whorrall out of GiroBio after manic first stage

The Under 27 Giro d'Italia (GiroBio) continues without a single British cyclist after Manxman Chris Whorrall failed to finish the first stage to Martinsicuro last Friday.

"The first stage went off from the gun, 51km in the first hour, up and down, the riders going like madmen. He lost ground, couldn't hang on. Unfortunately, this is the story of Whorrall," Angelo Baldini, boss of the Polish MG Kvis Norda team told Cycling Weekly. However, if his condition had been as it was in the first part of the year..."

Whorrall travelled along in the team car after abandoning, saying: "I was just not fit enough, really." Whorrall is still suffering after an incident earlier in the year. He crashed in stage one of the Coppa delle Nazioni and fractured his left thumb. At the time he left the team's base in Tuscany, Italy, and returned home to the Isle of Man to see a specialist.

"If the first day was a bit easier, I would have got into it," added Whorrall. "It was from the gun, though, and I couldn't hold it."

"Another Cav?" said Baldini. "Not yet, but they are great friends. Mark helped him and Tim Kennaugh join the team. He definitely has talent - not afraid in the sprints - but we still need to develop him."

Cavendish joined the team at its presentation early this year and lent his support to the team via his name on the jersey. He and former British Cycling Olympic Academy coach, Max Sciandri helped the three Brits find a place in Baldini's team.

Whorrall, prior to the crash, placed second in the Giro delle Tre Province on March 12 and fourth in the GP Pretola on March 6. Now, he will stay with his team at the Giro and then travel home to compete in the nationals at the end of the month.

Last year, four British riders finished the nine-day GiroBio: Luke Rowe, Mark Christian and Andrew Fenn (all on the GB team) and Simon Holt (De Nardi Colpack Bergamasca). Whorrall made it until the final stage, abandoning midway through.