Australian Richie Porte has withdrawn from the Tour de Romandie in Switzerland ahead of stage two after suffering from an overnight illness.
Porte's BMC Racing Team issued a statement on Thursday morning, saying that the 31-year-old had withdrawn on medical advice.
“Richie has developed some gastrointestinal problems and a fever overnight and is not fit to start today, particularly given the difficulty of stage two," said BMC Racing Team doctor Dario Spinelli.
"He is showing symptoms of a virus and hasn’t had an appetite so it’s not in his best interest to line up for a mountain stage with no fuel in the system."
Porte himself said that he was 'disappointed' to be leaving the race, seen by some as an early-season form tester before the Tour de France in July.
“Of course it’s disappointing to have to stop but I trust the medical team’s advice that it’s the right decision,” said Porte.
Porte was sat in 87th position overall after Wednesday's stage one, 37 seconds behind race leader and prologue winner Ion Izagirre (Movistar). American Tejay van Garderen is BMC's highest-placed rider in the general classification, in eighth place and 11 seconds adrift of Izagirre.
Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) is in second place overall, with Welshman Geraint Thomas (Sky) in third.
Watch: Secrets of the toolbox - BMC
Stage two of the Tour de Romandie concludes with a category one summit finish at Morgins, which will give the climbers their first chance to make a mark on the six-day WorldTour race.
Porte switched teams from Sky to BMC for the 2016 season, where he was drafted in to be a Grand Tour leader for the team alongside van Garderen.
So far this season, Porte has finished second at the Tour Down Under, third in Paris-Nice and fourth in the Volta a Catalunya.
Team Sky announced that Ian Stannard has also withdrawn from the Tour de Romandie ahead of stage two.
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
-
POC Ventral Tempus MIPS Review - A helmet for riding in the rain, and being seen
Bright, light and comfortable, but not cheap
-
British cyclist treated a sick goat before medalling at national championships
Veterinary student Phoebe Barker was asked to lend a hand on the farm where she was staying before her race
-
Global backers in talks over new British WorldTour team
Former management of Ribble Weldtite courting interest in new project
-
‘Current WorldTour system is killing all the smaller teams,’ says Reinardt Janse van Rensburg
South African ex-Lotto Soudal rider fears more teams could find themselves in B & B Hotels-KTM situation if the system doesn’t change
-
As Cristiano Ronaldo puts the boot in, Jumbo-Visma talk to Manchester United about tactics and managing egos
The Dutch team’s senior sports director has spoken to Manchester United’s manager for sporting advice
-
'It's a really absurd way of racing' - EF boss Jonathan Vaughters on WorldTour relegation scrap
EF Education-EasyPost manager says he hated racing for UCI points
-
Trek-Segafredo win the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta team time trial
Elisa Longo Borghini led the American squad home and will take the leader's red jersey into the remaining four stages
-
Seven woman teams a possibility at the 2023 Tour de France Femmes
Race Director Marion Rousse confirms the organisers ASO are considering other changes for 2023, including the possibility of a time trial
-
“I feel my legs a bit less when I hear the crowd,” riders react to the Tour de France crowds
Huge crowds, excellent organisation, a good route and plenty of press attention, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift is a huge step for the women’s sport
-
Gear check: What gear ratios did riders choose to conquer the Grand Ballon?
Before Saturday's seventh stage in the Vosges Mountains Cycling Wweekly took a look at the preferred fear ratios in the Tour de France Femmes peloton
