After some good riding in the opening half of the race, sitting just outside the top ten overall and with ambitions to chase stages in the upcoming period, Romain Bardet unfortunately had to abandon the Tour de France on stage 14 this afternoon. Involved in a crash on the descent, Bardet hit the ground around a slippy corner. He was immediately checked over by the doctor but in pain and with a suspected concussion, the decision was made that he would step out of the race. After further medical examinations, a concussion was confirmed alongside several abrasions.
Team dsm-firmenich coach Matt Winston added: “It’s a real shame to lose Romain in this way, as he is a fighter and really wanted to give the race a go; not only today but also in the coming week. It’s always difficult to make this decision during the race but when there is even a small bit of doubt then there is no discussion and Romain had to step off the bike for his own safety. We all wish him the best in his recovery, and for the guys left at the Tour, we will regroup and hunt day success throughout the remainder of the race.”
Team dsm-firmenich doctor Laurens Kappelle continued: “Romain suffered multiple skin abrasions on his hip, shoulder and knee, plus a concussion in the crash today. It is important for him to take complete rest now and we’ll monitor him closely in the coming days, following our concussion procedure closely, before we take any further steps.”
