The fight continues for David Gauda. The cyclist injured after a fall on his right hand will not take part in the third stage of the Tour of the Basque Country on Wednesday, his team Groupama-FDJ announced.
The Brittany climber, who was 32nd in the overall classification and 54 seconds behind the leader, fell four kilometers from the finish line on Tuesday and “has significant injuries to his right hand” which “required surgery late on Tuesday evening”. to team doctor Jacky Maillot.
Ten stitches
“His hand really isn’t a pretty sight this morning. With ten stitches, he can neither brake nor shift gears,” lamented sporting director Benoît Vaugrenard.
This is another heavy blow for the fourth in the 2022 Tour de France, who has experienced several disappointments over the past year between crashes, injuries and poor form. “It is true that he did not do well since the beginning of the season. He came back well, motivated to do a great tour of the Basque Country. It’s another failure,” Vaugrenard regretted.
The rest of Gaudu’s schedule, due to take part in the Ardennes Classics in mid-April, will be announced later after “a few days of rest,” according to his team.