Lidl-Trek have confirmed that Britain’s Tao Geoghegan Hart has abandoned the Critérium du Dauphiné as a result of injuries incurred in the mass crash late on stage 5.
Geoghegan Hart was able to complete the first Alpine stage on Friday, but sat up as soon as the final climb, Le Collet d’Allevard, began. He completed the day’s racing in 116th.
According to a short message issued by Lidl-Trek late Friday evening, the 2020 Giro d’Italia winner “was suffering today with pain off the back of the crash of stage 5 and is not feeling 100%.”
Geoghegan Hart is one of eight riders who did not start stage 7’s ultra-mountainous stage to Samoëns 1600 on Saturday.
Logan Currie (Lotto-Dstny) also did not start on Saturday due to injuries from the mass crash on stage 5 and Hugo Toumire (Cofidis) as a combination of illness and injuries also sustained on Thursday.
Others who did not start were Anders Skaarseth (Uno-X Mobility), Clement Russo (Groupama-FDJ), Christophe Juul Jensen and Blake Quick (both Jayco-AIUIa) and Abner Umba (Astana Qazaqstan).
“I was modulating my speed quite well and I saw the guys ahead of me slip out and fall,” Geoghegan Hart told reporters on Friday morning about his crash experiences and injuries.
“I was finding some space on the right, aiming for the grass or in an ideal world to stop. Them somebody hit me from behind, probably also trying not to brake and I went flying into an electricity pylon.”
“So I have zero cuts, which is positive but I hit the pylon at 45kmh. Ribs are always pretty complicated because even if you don’t have fractures you can suffer a lot with the breathing and stuff.”
As the race heads into its final weekend, Primož Roglič (Bora-Hansgrohe) is the overall leader in the Critérium du Dauphiné. The Slovenian also fell in the crash but was able to continue despite hurting his hip and left elbow, and recovered well enough to win Friday’s summit finish stage.
“It’s slightly better, I don’t know how long it will take to be very good but we have to focus on the stage, specially the start will be crucial,” Roglič told reporters on Saturday morning.
Another rider who quit the race shortly after stage 7 began was Soudal-QuickStep allrounder Ilan van Wilder.
