David Gaudu, injured in his right hand after a fall, will not start the third stage of the Tour of the Basque Country on Wednesday, his team Groupama-FDJ announced.
The Breton climber, who was in 32nd place in the general classification 54 seconds behind the leader, fell four kilometers from the finish on Tuesday and “presents significant wounds on his right hand”, which “required surgery late in the evening yesterday,” according to team doctor Jacky Maillot.
“His hand really isn't a pretty sight this morning. With ten stitches, he can neither brake nor shift gears,” lamented the sporting director, Benoît Vaugrenard.
This is a new hard blow for the fourth in the 2022 Tour de France who has had multiple disappointments over the past year, between falls, injuries and poor form.
“It’s true that since the start of the season, he hasn’t been successful. He came back well, he was motivated to do a great Tour of the Basque Country. It’s another setback,” regretted Vaugrenard.
The rest of Gaudu's program, who was to participate in the Ardennes classics in mid-April, will be communicated later after "a few days of rest", according to the team.