'I don't remember the crash' – Caja Rural rider abandons Tour de France with fractured hand

Alex Molenaar crashed with around 5km to go on stage five

Alex Molenaar at the Tour de France
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Caja Rural-Seguros RGA rider Alex Molenaar has abandoned the Tour de France after breaking his hand in a crash he said he didn't remember.

The Dutchman came down in a small pile-up just outside 5km to go on Wednesday's fifth stage to Pau. He finished the race, second from last and seven minutes behind the winner Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM), and was tested for a concussion.

According to AS, he was heard beyond the finish line saying: "I don't remember the crash."

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Molenaar was taken to a nearby hospital after the stage. Caja Rural-Seguros RGA later confirmed that he had suffered a fracture in his hand.

"Alex Molenaar will not be taking the start this Thursday following his heavy crash in Pau," the team wrote on social media.

"The tests carried out have revealed that he is suffering from a fracture of the metacarpal in his right hand."

Riding on his Tour debut, Molenaar wore the polka dot jersey on stage three as leader of the King of the Mountains classification. He is the fourth rider to abandon this year's edition.

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Tom Davidson
Senior Writer & Deputy Features Editor

Tom joined Cycling Weekly as a news and features writer in the summer of 2022, having previously contributed as a freelancer and been host of the TT Podcast. He is fluent in French and Spanish, and holds a master's degree in International Journalism.

An enthusiastic cyclist himself, Tom likes it most when the road goes uphill, and actively seeks out double-figure gradients on his rides. His best result is 28th in a hill-climb competition, albeit out of 40 entrants.

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