André Greipel, Fernando Gaviria and Dylan Groenewegen abandon Tour de France in sprinters's mass exodus

More sprinters leave the Tour de France on stage 12

Cycling: 105th Tour de France 2018 / Stage 6 MUR-DE-BRETAGNE GUERLEDAN, FRANCE - JULY 12: Thomas De Gendt of Belgium and Team Lotto Soudal / Andre Greipel of Germany and Team Lotto Soudal / during 105th Tour de France 2018, Stage 6 a 181km stage from Brest to Mur-de-Bretagne Guerledan 293m / TDF / on July 12, 2018 in Mur-de-Bretagne Guerledan, France. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

Greipel with Thomas De Gendt on stage six (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

The peloton of the Tour de France is looking significantly lighter after stage 12, with five of the race's most prolific sprinters having abandoned or been eliminated for missing the time cut.

André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal), Fernando Gaviria (Quick Step Floors) and Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo) were among a number of riders to abandon the Tour de France on stage 12, having fallen behind the time cut-off.

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