VIF, France (AP) — Ineos-Grenadiers rider Carlos Rodriguez has pulled out of the Tour de France with a fractured pelvis ahead of Thursday’s monster Alpine stage to the ski resort of Courchevel.
Rodriguez crashed on Wednesday and hospital scans confirmed the fracture, his team said in a statement a few hours before the start of Stage 18.
“Carlos is in good spirits and remains under the close supervision of our medical team,” Ineos-Grenadiers said. “He will now return home to focus on recovery and the rehabilitation process.”
The Spanish rider was 10th overall in the general classification, more than 20 minutes behind race leader and three-time Tour champion Tadej Pogačar.
The three-week race finishes on Sunday in Paris.
Tour de France riders will tackle three extremely difficult ascents during Stage 18, including the 26.4-kilometer (16.5-mile) daunting climb of the Col de La Loze up to the finish.
At 2,304 meters of altitude, La Loze is the highest summit in this year’s Tour. Two years ago, Jonas Vingegaard dropped Pogačar there on his way to his second Tour title.
Vingegaard has been second best to Pogačar this year, lagging four minutes and 15 seconds behind his rival overall.
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