Image 1 of 5 Alessandro Vanotti and Fabio Aru (Astana) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 2 of 5 Alessandro Vanotti (Astana) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 3 of 5 Alessandro Vanotti (Astana) in the break (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 4 of 5 Alessandro Vanotti has some fun with Dubai archtecture (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 5 of 5 Alessandro Vanotti (Astana) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

Alessandro Vanotti, a key domestique for Astana’s Vincenzo Nibali and Fabio Aru, fractured his tibia plateau in a crash at the team’s training camp this week, according to a report in La Gazzetta dello Sport. Aru was also involved in the crash but was not injured.

"A few kilometers away, on the promenade of the coast, there was a sign with the work in progress, a truck and a traffic-marking cone,” Vanotti told La Gazzetta. “The rubber cone was hit by Fabio Aru and took my wheel, I fell. I got up and I realized there was something wrong, the area was swollen like a watermelon. "

The 35-year-old from Bergamo was diagnosed at a local hospital and will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine if the injury will require surgery, and also to evaluate how long he will need for recovery.

“Put it this way,” Vanotti told La Gazzetta. “The important thing is that Fabio is not injured. I only regret that something like this happened in training."

Vanotti, who moved from Liquigas to Astana in 2013, has been a key domestique for Nibali and also Aru now that the Vuelta winner has ascended to leadership role within the team. Vanotti has ridden 18 grand tours and brings a wealth of experience to Astana.