Tour Down Under: Luke Plapp finishes stage 3 bloodied after heavy crash

Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla) finished stage 3 of the Tour Down Under bloodied and bruised after being involved in a crash on the downhill run-in to the Campbelltown finish.

The Australian went straight to the medical tent for treatment when he came across the line, some 10 minutes down on winner Sam Welsford. Photos from the crash showed that Plapp was up and riding, but with a significantly ripped skinsuit and bloody grazing all along his left side and shoulder.

It is not yet decided whether he will start stage 4 on Friday.

"Plapp has been seen by the onsite medical team at the finish line. Many superficial wounds, swollen elbow and ankle. He won’t travel to hospital," a team statement from Jayco AlUla said.

"We will monitor him overnight and make an assessment tomorrow before the stage."

Plapp crashed with a number of Astana Qazaqstan riders and Bahrain Victorious' Cameron Scott going into the final 10km, and was initially hard to spot under the pile of blue jerseys.

There also appeared to be some confusion amongst the team, who were setting up for a sprint for Caleb Ewan, with not all riders aware that Plapp had crashed, meaning he rolled in without any teammates around him after they failed to drop back for him.

Cameron Scott finished last, two minutes behind the group Plapp was in.

Whilst Jayco are here to back Simon Yates on GC, Plapp is a key part of that, and was clearly on good form, having been on the attack on the Fox Creek climb on stage 2.