BOURG-SAINT-MAURICE, France (AP) — Still battered and bruised from a crash on the cobblestones, Colombian rider Rigoberto Uran has withdrawn from the Tour de France ahead of Thursday’s big mountain stage in the Alps.
Uran, who finished runner-up behind Chris Froome last year, crashed on Sunday during the stage to Roubaix, damaging his left leg and arm. He went through a hard day on Wednesday and was 30th overall, more than 31 minutes behind race leader Geraint Thomas.
Uran’s EF Education First-Drapac team said in a statement that he has not fully recovered and can’t pedal properly.
“I didn’t recover after the crash. Yesterday in the first real climb, all day, there was pain in my body,” Uran said.
Stage 12 on Thursday is the most difficult in the Alps this year, featuring grueling ascents including the col de la Madeleine, the col de la Croix-de-Fer and the famed 21 bends to L’Alpe d’Huez ski resort.
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