Simon Yates abandons Tour de France 2021

Simon Yates has abandoned the Tour de France 2021.

The British climber had been hoping to target stage wins in the Pyrenees in the coming days, but he was caught up in a high-speed crash with around 60km left to race on stage 13.

Yates, winner of the 2018 Vuelta a España, was one of several riders who fell on a sweeping left-hand turn, as some fell into a steep ravine at the right-hand side of the road.

Team BikeExchange rider Yates was able to get back on the bike to try and rejoin the peloton, but was later forced to abandon the stage.

The incident happened as stage 13 from Nîmes to Carcassonne sparked into life with a flurry of attacks from the peloton.

But with the action came the chaos, as a group of riders fell on a narrow section of road.

Tim Declerq (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) and Søren Kragh Andersen (Team DSM) were amongst those who went down in the fall, as Andersen was seen clambering back up the steep grass verge to return to road level, his bike lifted above his head.

Yates remained on the floor for some minutes after his fall, but was able to re-mount to try and chase down the peloton. 

But after pursuing the bunch, Yates was forced to leave the Tour de France. 

>>> When and where Mark Cavendish can break Tour de France stage record in the coming week

The 28-year-old has already had his share of success this year, winning the Tour of the Alps before his main goal of the year, the Giro d'Italia, where he won a stage and finished third overall.