PONTIVY, France — Former Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas was involved in a crash during the third stage of the three-week race.
The Ineos-Grenadiers leader fell off his bike with about 145 kilometers left in Monday’s third stage in the Brittany region.
Thomas remained on the ground for a while and looked like he would retire but ultimately went back on his bike.
Tour organizers said the peloton was riding at 43 kph when the crash took place. Robert Gesink, a teammate of last-year’s runner-up Primoz Roglic, also fell and was forced to abandon.
Thomas, the 2018 champion, struggled at the back of the race afterwards. His teammate Luke Rowe waited for him and the Welsh pair lagged 2 minutes and 30 seconds behind the peloton.
Thomas was 20th overall before the start of the stage, 41 seconds behind race leader Mathieu van der Poel.
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