French pro cyclist suffering with memory loss after Tour Down Under crash

Groupama FDJ’s Rudy Molard has said that he has no memory of being involved in a heavy crash on stage three of the Tour Down Under which landed him in hospital. 

The Frenchman was one of many riders that was unable to finish the third stage of the men’s WorldTour curtain raiser in Adelaide due to hitting the tarmac. He suffered a concussion, which has meant he is unable to head home.

Shortly after the stage had finished, Molard shared an update on his condition on social media. He posted a photo on Instagram which showed he had suffered some facial injuries, as well as road rash, with a brief caption which said the crash “could have been worse”. 

A further update from Molard, shared by his team on Thursday, explained that he had been forced to stay in Australia to fully recover due to being too unwell to travel home to France after the race had concluded. 

“After my crash on the Tour Down Under, I spent 48 hours in hospital,” he said. “I was put under general anaesthetic to clean my wounds and have my dressings changed, so I wouldn’t suffer too much. 

“The wounds are still superficial, although the one’s on my hands are really bothering me. The concussion, on the other hand, is really annoying. I’ve got headaches and I’m tired. I wasn’t able to make the journey back to France, so I’m recovering here in Australia with the team.” 

He continued: “I’d never had a concussion before, so I know risks are not to be taken lightly. I have no memory of the crash, which is quite significant. My overall condition is improving, and it’s incredible to see how quickly the wounds on my face have progressed. 

“It puts the brakes on the first part of my season. I felt fit and capable of performing. Today, it’s still too early to say what my recovery programme will be. I’m going to concentrate on recovering well and come back with even more motivation.” 

Australian national champion Luke Plapp was also involved in a crash on the third stage which left him with severe road rash. The Jayco AlUla rider managed to finish the stage but was unable to start the fourth stage the following morning. 

Welshman Stevie Williams won the race overall. It was the 27-year-old’s first WorldTour GC win.