Lotto-Soudal rider caught up in 'dumb accident' on stage 14
Jens Debusschere (Lotto Soudal) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
A mid-stage crash has ended Jens Debusschere's 2016 Tour de France despite the Lotto Soudal rider crossing the line in Villars-les-Dombes Parc des Oiseaux. Debusschere was the second last rider to finish the 208.5km stage in 184th position with post-race examinations confirming he suffered "a fissure in his scapula, a disrupted collar bone, a knee incision and a bruised hand" from his crash
"Abandoning the Tour is very hard as well mentally as physically. I did a sanitary stop and picked up some water bottles at the team car after I crashed with among others Matti Breschel. It was a dumb accident with big sequences," said Debusschere.
A key rider in André Greipel's lead out train, the 26-year-old helped the German sprinter top four stage wins at the 2015 Tour de France but the team is yet to replicate its success at this year's Tour. The winner of the Dwars door Vlaanderen classic, Debusschere described his frustration at having to leave the race without marking a mark on the race.
"Unfortunately, I wasn't able to show what I'm capable of during the past two weeks, although I felt really good. It will be very important to recover entirely and after that I'll focus on the final part of the season. Normally, that's a good period for me so we'll see," he said.
Debusschere wasn't the only rider to have his race ended on stage 14 with IAM Cycling's Mathias Frank an early abandon with illness getting the best of the Swiss rider, while Cannondale-Drapac's Matti Breschel suffered deep lacerations to his leg and left the race in an ambulance.
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