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Thursday saw its most contested day yet at the Tour de France as a record six riders crashed out of the race.
Michael Morkov (Astana Kazakhstan), Fabio Jacobsen (DSM Firmenich PostNL), and Pelo Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) left. le tour Thursday with either illness or fatigue.
A few hours later, Yevgeny Fedorov (Astana Kazakhstan) and Alpecin-Deceninck pair Jonas Rickert and Søren Kragh Andersen failed to meet the time cut for Thursday’s 12th stage in Villeneuve-sur-Lot.
Also on Thursday, “Big 4” heavyweight Primož Roglič (Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe) was badly injured by a high-speed crash, ending his dream of the yellow jersey and the Tour de France’s worst ever finish. It was a day of struggle.
week two sad
Morkov and Bilbo left the race on Thursday due to COVID and illness respectively as tensions rose over rumors that a virus was making its way through the race-weary group.
Mark Cavendish’s main leader Morkov did not start Thursday’s sprint stage after testing positive for COVID, while top climber and GC veteran Bilbao moved into his Bahrain-Victorious team car early in the day.
Runner Jacobsen, a Tour de France stage winner in 2022, also left mid-stage, suffering burns and something fatal is suspected.
“It always sucks to drop out of the race,” Jacobsen said Thursday. “It’s not going bad, but it’s not going good either. I am not feeling well. I can’t really call myself sick, but I’m not fit.
“I’m afraid I’m suffering from something,” he said. “I thought things were getting better and better, but I think I found something in the gravel stage (Sunday) or the rest of the day.”
❌ Poor Pelo Bilbo tried to finish the stage but it looked empty, he left the tour. Hopefully, Mohorik and others affected by the virus will recover before the Pyrenees…#TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/mwRUzT7DP5
– Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) 11 July 2024
The final part of the second week of a grand tour is often seen as a tipping point when fatigue runs high, the immune system is low, and there seems to be no end to the suffering.
It’s still a long way off from the rest of the day on Monday and a long way from the grand finale in Nice.
Riders have to contend with minor descents and knock-back defenses in the Pyrenees and Alps or reset for the coming season. Chest infections, GI problems, and overuse injuries plague the Peloton in Week 2 and Week 3.
A total of 10 riders abandoned the race in a span of just 48 hours on Wednesday and Thursday.
“After feeling unwell yesterday, Pelo Bilbao fought to the end and was determined to start ST12 today,” a note from Bahrain-Victorious on Thursday read.
“Unfortunately, he has not recovered enough to be able to ride at his best, so he will not be able to continue his Tour ambitions this year and has retired from racing.”
Belje Jonas Rickert and Danois Søren Kragh Andersen (Alpecin–Deceaninck) declared ahead of Yevgeny Fedorov (Astana). Avec Les left two magazines, Il n’y à Doncée plus Que 162 Courrier sur ce Tour de France. #TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/vsKfXaOGfb
– Le Gruppetto (@LeGrupetto) 11 July 2024
The fact that three riders were outside the time cut on a supposedly straight sprint stage on Thursday says it all.
The Tour de France is starting to go haywire.
Alpecin–Deceaninck pair Craig Anderson and Rickert battled the broom-wagon all day, the former suffering saddle sores, the latter the effects of an early stage crash.
Neither of them, nor Astana’s Fedorov, could meet the limit of 25:44 set on Biniyam Girmay’s stage-winning time.
Craig Anderson said, “It’s sad that I have to leave the Tour like this.” “The saddle pain got worse and worse. I had no other option but to leave the tour.
“I was really hoping to get Jonas (Rickkaert) done on time as the last task here,” he said. “Too bad it didn’t work out.”
Now a total of 14 riders have left the race. Astana Kazakhstan is in the worst shape so far and is now down to just five riders.
Step 13 is looking forward to Friday, unlucky or not.
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