IAM Cycling loses its leader in final kilometre crash
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Mathias Frank (IAM Cycling)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Mathias Frank (IAM Cycling) crashed out of the Tour with a fractured femur(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Martin Elmiger's exploits in the stage 7 breakaway saw IAM Cycling make it first ever podium appearance at the Tour de France as the Swiss road race champion collected the most combative prize. In the bunch sprint Sylvain Chavanel crossed the line in ninth place to cap off of what appeared to be a good day's racing.
In the final kilometre there were several crashes that brought riders and it was one with 800 meters to go that race that brought down IAM Cycling's leader for the Tour, Mathias Frank. The 27-year-old fell on his left side, injuring his hip and fracturing his femur.
Frank finished the stage before heading to the Tour de France mobile medical clinic and then to the CHUR in Nancy.
With the hospital scanner detecting the fracture in the left proximal femur, Mathias Frank, accompanied by Grégory Ornon, the team’s doctor, Michel Thétaz, the founder of IAM Cycling and Serge Beucherie, the manager sportif, all immediately left for Geneva in order to undergo surgery Saturday morning.
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