Richard Carapaz and Enric Mas, two contenders for the overall podium, withdrew from the Tour de France on the opening day after crashing late in the first stage.
Cameras found Carapaz and Mas separated from their bikes on the side of the road on a descent late in the opening stage in Bilbao, Spain.
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A bloody Carapaz remounted and finished the stage more than 15 minutes behind the leaders, then withdrew from the Tour. His team, EF Education-EasyPost, said he had a small fracture in his left kneecap.
Carapaz, of Ecuador, was the only man to start this year’s Tour who owned podium finishes from all three Grand Tours. He won the 2019 Giro d’Italia and the Tokyo Olympic road race title.
Mas, a Spaniard who placed second in the Vuelta a Espana the last two years, withdrew without finishing the stage. His team, Movistar, said he had a fractured right shoulder blade.
Caparaz and Mas were among the top cyclists in the second tier of general classification contenders behind Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar.
Other primary challengers for a place on the podium in Paris in three weeks include 2022 Giro d’Italia winner Jai Hindley of Australia and Frenchman David Gaudu, who was fourth at last year’s Tour.
Heartbreaking crash for two contenders. Enric Mas has abandoned and Richard Carapaz is far behind the peloton.#TDF2023 📺: Peacock pic.twitter.com/10jnwFZOvw
— NBC Sports Cycling (@NBCSCycling) July 1, 2023