Italian rider Sonny Colbrelli suffered a cardio-respiratory arrest after a sprint finish on stage one of the Volta a Catalunya in Spain, organizers said on Monday.

Bahrain Victorious rider Colbrelli lost consciousness after finishing second behind Australian Michael Matthews following an intense up-hill dash for the line.

According to the official statement of the Tour of Catalunya published in the evening, Colbrelli experienced "an episode of loss of consciousness with convulsions and subsequent cardio-respiratory arrest".

First aid staff, who revived the rider at the finish line in the seaside town of Sant Feliu de Guixols, performed emergency CPR cardiac and used a defibrillator, the statement added.

The reigning European road race champion was then taken to hospital in nearby Girona, where he was 'in a stable condition', his team said.

"Following the sprint on stage one... Sonny Colbrelli fell unconscious," Bahrain Victorious said in a statement.

"Colbrelli underwent further medical assistance, and he was in stable condition upon being taken into an ambulance to Hospital Universitari de Girona to investigate his condition further."

The 31-year-old had been making his comeback after pulling out of the Tirreno-Adriatico stage race in Italy two weeks ago due to a bout of bronchitis.

Colbrelli won the prestigious Paris-Roubaix race last year a few weeks after claiming the European title and has a total of 34 race wins over his career.

🏥 Following the sprint on Stage 1 of @VoltaCatalunya, @sonnycolbrelli fell unconscious. He underwent further medical assistance, and he was in stable condition upon being taken into an ambulance to Hospital Universitari de Girona to investigate his condition further.

[1/2] pic.twitter.com/kcqaYxkuHy

— Team Bahrain Victorious (@BHRVictorious) March 21, 2022