British rider Simon Yates (Orica-GreenEdge) and Italian Fabio Aru (Astana) are among the many high-profile abandons during the penultimate stage of the Tour of the Basque Country in Spain on Friday.
With cold and wet conditions affecting the 'queen' mountains stage of the WorldTour-level event, there were several crashes – one of which took out 2015 Vuelta a España winner Aru.
Yates finished in fifth place overall in last year's race, and was placed in 21st position overall going into stage five, 51 seconds adrift of general classification leader Wilco Kelderman (LottoNL-Jumbo).
Early reports suggested that Yates had also suffered a crash. He had been targetting today's stage for a good performance.
Yates's brother and Orica-GreenEdge team-mate Adam remains in the race.
>>> Samuel Sanchez turns back the clock to win Tour of the Basque Country stage four
Along with Aru and Yates, other notable abandons during the stage included Daniel Martin (Etixx-QuickStep), Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge) and Ryder Hesjedal (Trek-Segafredo).
The stage concludes with a steep ascent to Arrate, the last of the day's eight classified climbs.
The general classification will receive its final shake-up on the final stage on Saturday (April 9), a 16.5-kilometre hilly individual time trial.
More to follow...
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
-
-
Geraint Thomas 'helps a brother out', aiding Mark Cavendish's valedictory Giro d'Italia stage win
Cavendish now has one final Giro stage win. Will he get one final Tour de France equivalent in July?
-
Charlotte Kool wins final stage of RideLondon-Classique to seal overall victory
Kool edges out Dyget and Van der Duin in bunch sprint
-
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
