Suffering from a concussion, the Frenchman Romain Bardet was forced to abandon the Tour de France on the evening of the 13th stage.
This is the first retirement of his career in the Grande Boucle.
Romain Bardet, who suffers from a concussion after his fall, must abandon the Tour de France on the evening of the 13th stage, we learned from his AG2R La Mondiale team.
- @LeTour
Following his heavy fall, Romain Bardet will not start the 14th stage tomorrow.
All the info> https://t.co/ErXRiw553t
Following his today's crash, Romain Bardet will not start the 14th stage tomorrow. # GoALMpic.twitter.com / qRizthCbQm
- AG2RLM Pro Cycling Team (@ AG2RLMCyclisme) September 11, 2020
"I am not able to continue the race"
The French runner took exams at the Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital after the finish of the race at Puy Mary, in Cantal.
He occupied 11th place in the standings.
"The fall was violent, downhill, and I struggled all day," said Romain Bardet.
"The medical examinations confirmed what I was expecting and I am unable to continue the race."
Second in the Tour in 2016 and third in 2017, Bardet was the best French chance for the general classification after the fall of Thibaut Pinot from the first stage in Nice.
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The first retirement of his career in the Tour de France
His retirement is the first of his career in the Tour de France in which he has participated every year since his first participation in 2013. Winner of several mountain stages in previous years, he brought back the polka-dot jersey for the best climber last year.
"Romain had a brain scan which did not reveal any lesion," said Dr Eric Bouvat, doctor of the French team.
"It is however necessary that he stops his sports activities. His date of resumption of competition will be defined according to the evolution".