Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas was forced to stop midway through the stage four of Tirreno-Adriatico due to illness.
The Welshman has been struggling with stomach issues for a couple of days and the decision was taken for him to stop and rest up.
Thomas said: “I’ve been struggling with stomach issues for a couple of days now. I wanted to start this morning but I knew as soon as we hit the first climb that I wasn’t right.
“I could have battled through but it wouldn’t have done me any favours. We agreed on the road that it was better I stop and rest up. I’ll head home, have a couple of easy days, and then get back into training early next week.”
Thomas is expected to head to Tenerife for altitude training next and he will return to race the Tour of the Basque Country, the Tour de Romandie and after another Tenerife camp, the Tour de Suisse.
