:format(webp)/https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/sports/2023/07/15/mass-crash-on-tour-briefly-halts-stage-14-pogacar-vingegaard-escape-unscathed/20230715080748-64b295b32c84df600e143e92jpeg.jpg)
ANNEMASSE, France (AP) — Spanish rider Antonio Pedrero was evacuated by ambulance following a mass pile-up that briefly halted the 14th stage of the Tour de France soon after the start on Saturday.
Louis Meintjes, who was 13th overall, abandoned with a suspected broken collarbone. Esteban Chaves, from the EF Education Easypost team, also quit. Local hope Romain Bardet and James Shaw joined the list of withdrawals further down the road after they crashed in a downhill.
Dozens of racers crashed on a bend on a slippery road in Annemasse and many received treatment. An Intermarche-Circus-Wanty teammate of Meintjes, Adrien Petit, got back on his bike with his right leg bandaged.
Organizers decided to neutralize the stage for about 15 minutes. Stage 14 is a tough 152-kilometer (94-mile) trek featuring five climbs in the Alps.
Neither of the two race leaders was involved in the crash. Defending champion Jonas Vingegaard leads two-time champion Tadej Pogacar by just nine seconds.
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free)
does not endorse these opinions.
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
