Bob Jungels (AG2R Citroën) will not ride the two remaining Ardennes Classics, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège after suffering a "slight cranial trauma" in a crash during the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday.
AG2R-Citroën said that Jungels did not have symptoms but the team judged he was not ready to race after a training session on Monday.
"I am very disappointed because these two races are among the most important events of the season. But at the moment, it is more prudent for me not to race such demanding events," he said via the French team.
Jungels, 28, won the 2018 edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège and, with two top-10s in the Giro d'Italia in 2016 and 2017, indicated a Grand Tour focus for the future. He signed with the French squad this season after five years with Quick-Step as a potential GC leader for shorter stage races such as Paris-Nice, the Tour de Suisse, or the Critérium du Dauphiné and stage wins in the Tour de France.
However, his first races of the season - Paris-Nice and Volta a Catalunya - were hampered by problems with his back. After a change to his bike position and a short training camp in Mallorca, he said he was back to normal.
The Amstel Gold Race crash, which came with around 52km to go when Deceuninck-Quickstep's Mauri Vansevenant appeared to touch wheels in the peloton and crash, bringing down Jungels and eventual third-placed finisher Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe). While the others got back up and resumed racing, Jungels stayed down and received quick attention from the race medics.
AG2R-Citroën said Jungels will take a week of rest upon advice from medical staff.
