Jayco-AlUla racer Eddie Dunbar has become the latest rider to abandon the Tour de France ahead of Saturday's sprint stage to Laval, the Irishman forced to pull out after crashing hard late on stage 7 to the Mûr-de-Bretagne.
Dunbar, who lay 29th overall after finishing fourth from the break on stage 6 to Vire Normandie, was among numerous riders going down hard in a mass crash with 6.5km to go on Friday's stage.
He was caught up along with stage 6 winner Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost), Enric Mas (Movistar), Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious), and several others. João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) also fell and suffered a broken rib in the same crash, though he'll continue in the race this weekend.
Buitrago's teammate Jack Haig was ruled out of the race before the finish of the stage, but Dunbar rode on to the line. However, following further examination, the Irishman was ruled out of the race on Saturday morning.
"Eddie Dunbar has abandoned the Tour de France and will not start stage 8," Jayco-AlUla announced.
"Following a crash in the final kilometres of yesterday’s stage, Dunbar has been suffering with pain in his wrist and a decision was taken to stop, for his safety. We’re going to miss you, Eddie, get well soon!"
Dunbar's withdrawal is the eighth of the race so far, leaving 176 riders to start stage 8, a flat 171.4km run from Saint-Méen-le-Grand to Laval.
One rider who will be racing on is Portuguese racer Almeida, the top lieutenant for defending champion and race favourite Tadej Pogačar this July.
Almeida, who this year has won Itzulia Basque Country, the Tour de Romandie, and Tour de Suisse, got back on his bike after the crash to finish 99th, 10 minutes down on stage winner and new race leader Pogačar, but suffered numerous abrasions and a fractured rib in the fall.
Cyclingnews was on the ground to witness Almeida emerge from the team bus to ride to the start of stage 8. The 26-year-old showed no outward signs of his pain or injuries, barring gauze and bandaging to his knee and elbow.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG team principal Mauro Gianetti told Cyclingnews before the start that Almeida is a "fighter".
"He's a fighter. He slept well, came down for breakfast with a smile on his face. Nothing too serious," he said.
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