(Reuters) – Ineos-Grenadiers team leader Geraint Thomas has pulled out of Giro d’Italia after suffering a fractured pelvis in a crash early on the third stage on Monday.
The Welshman tumbled to the ground in the neutral zone before competitive racing began, when his front wheel hit a feeding bottle while he was riding at full speed.
Ineos-Grenadiers Doctor Phil Riley said on Tuesday: “Geraint had an MRI and a CT scan this morning which revealed a small undisplaced fracture in the lower part of the pelvis which wasn’t picked up on the X-rays yesterday. As a precaution he will be withdrawn from the race as it’s an injury that could easily be aggravated.”
Thomas said: “It’s so frustrating. I’d put so much work into this race. I did everything I could and feel like I was in just as good, if not better shape, than when I won the Tour. I was feeling really good. So for it just to end like this is gutting.
“I was really up for starting today. I woke up and wanted to start with the boys and at least help them go for stages over the next few days, but deep down I knew something wasn’t right, so we went to get these extra scans. It does make the decision easier when there’s a fracture in some ways, because obviously I don’t want to do anymore damage.”
Thomas also had to abandon the Giro in 2017, five days after hitting the ground in a crash involving a race motorbike.
He ended Monday’s 150km stage some 12 minutes behind stage winner Jonathan Caceido.
