Falling violently 86 km from the finish leading to Puy Mary (13th stage, Friday), Romain Bardet finished the stage gritting his teeth.
At 2'30 '' from the demonic Slovenian tandem composed of Primoz Roglic and Tadej Pogacar.
A few hours later, suffering from a concussion, the leader of the AG2R-La Mondiale team announced that he was putting an end to his Tour de France.
This Saturday morning "a control MRI taken at Clermont Ferrand University Hospital showed that the runner did not suffer from any serious injury but confirmed the signs of concussion diagnosed on Friday which will require several weeks of rest", according to Dr. Eric. Bouvat, medical manager of the Savoyard team.
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The most consistent French rider of the last ten years on a Tour (2nd in 2016, 3rd in 2017; 3 stage wins) that he had never left before his term, only records his 5th retirement since his professional debut ( in 680 days of racing).
All the more painful as he was on his way and wanted to experience this last Tour intensely with his long-standing team before turning the page to take part in the Sunweb adventure next year.
The AG2R-La Mondiale team recorded another retirement on Saturday, that of Pierre Latour.
He had suffered from significant trauma to his left hip since his fall during the first stage.
Various examinations over the past few days have not detected any serious injuries or fractures, but the pain, which prevented him from pedaling normally, forced him to stop.
He explained: “I have the same pain, as soon as you have to force, since my fall from Nice.
It was starting to take a long time.
Today (Saturday), with the quick start, that was no longer possible.
It was wiser to stop.
I will take care of myself and rest.
I am disappointed because we had all the assets to succeed in a Grand Tour.
"
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