Cavendish rival Sagan out of Tour de France
Cavendish rival Sagan out of Tour de France
SAINT-PAUL-TROIS-CH TEAUX, France (AFP) - Seven-time winner of the Tour de France green sprint points jersey Peter Sagan dropped out of the 21-day race on Thursday ahead of a flat run to Nimes due to an inflamed knee.
One of cycling s superstars, Sagan was a key rival standing in the way of British ace Mark Cavendish, who can level Eddy Merckx s all time record for stage wins with victory here on stage 12.
The Slovak fell on stage 3 hurting a knee in a fall on a bunch sprint that put the brakes on his bid for a record eighth Tour de France green jersey bid.
"Its a tough decision but an easy decision, because I can t move my knee," said the charismatic three-time world champion, who was unable to add to his tally of 12 stage wins on the 2021 edition.
"Two days ago I hit my knee again on a handlebar just when it was getting better, and after yesterday s climb it got inflamed," he explained.
"It s awful to leave the Tour, so now I need to help my knee recover and be ready for the Olympics," he said.
On a tough and eventful edition of the world s greatest bike race, Sagan is the 29th rider from 185 to pull out so far.
Sagan won the points classification from 2012-2016 and in 2018 and 2019.
On stage three in the same accident Australia s Calen Ewan, who started the 2021 edition as the man to beat, broke a collar bone and also pulled out.
Thursday s stage should finish in either a bunch sprint or with a breakaway win due to blustery northern winds howling down the Rhone Valley.
