Tour de France Femmes: Marlen Reusser and Lorena Wiebes drop out following crash on Stage 6
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Published 30/07/2022 at 14:14 GMT
In the aftermath of Friday's mass crash, caused perhaps by an errant spectator, Marlen Reusser and Lorena Wiebes have abandoned the Tour de France Femmes. Emma Norsgaard was forced to abandon the race immediately, while 15 other riders were treated for injury. Wiebes began stage seven but dropped out, while Reusser was diagnosed with concussion and dropped out before the stage began
‘Disaster!’ – Wiebes, Kopecky crash on highspeed descent
The fallout from Friday's huge crash at the Tour de France Femmes continues with Marlen Reusser joining Emma Norsgaard in abandoning the race.
Over 50 riders were grounded in the collision which occurred with 42 kilometers remaining in Friday's sixth stage - the longest of this year's race - and 15 were treated for various injuries.
Chantal van den Broek-Blaak was bleeding profusely from a deep wound on her arm, but managed to continue after undergoing treatment.
Norsgaard was immediately hospitalised with head, cervical vertebrae and left shoulder injuries, and dropped out of the race.
Reusser, who won Stage 4, had been hoping to continue but medical examination ruled her out. A concussion was revealed in the hospital examination, with doctors insisting that the 30-year-old Swiss rider drop out and rest in order to fully recover.
Rachele Barbieri also failed to start stage seven, after finishing fourth on the fifth stage earlier in the week.
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‘I will try to finish’ – Deflated Wiebes after Stage 6 crash
The cause of the crash remains uncertain, with some reports blaming an errant spectator while riders involved in the incident suggested a food bag or bidon may have been to blame.
Van den Broek-Blaak tried to explain what had happened, saying "I just rode in over the girls and I think a few girls fell on top of me. Demi and Marlen [Vollering and Reusser] were saying it happened next to them and it was a bag of food, so it’s just the concentration. It was a long, straight road and with stages like this when it’s 175km and flat you know you cannot concentrate for four-and-a-half hours, so it can happen.”
Lorena Wiebes has also been forced to abandon the race after her own collision with Lotte Kopecky and Alena Amialiusik.
Amialiusik and Kopecky have both managed to continue racing today.
Wiebes began Saturday's stage despite the injuries suffered in the previous day's crash, but was left behind as the peloton pushed on and pulled out.
Despite not finishing the Tour, Wiebes has had a very successful tour.
She won two stages this year, but finished 7:34 behind leader Marianne Vos after her crash on Friday. She received several stitches on her arm and treatment for heavy abrasions, and fought hard in the opening part of Saturday's stage but was forced to admit defeat.
With 144 riders beginning stage one, the Tour is now down to 120 after a rough opening week.
Marianne Vos leads in both the general classification and points classification, both of which she has held since stage two.
The Tour concludes with the 123 kilometre Lure to La Planche des Belles Filles stage on Sunday, where Vos will be hoping to hold on an claim the maiden edition of the race.
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