Sunday, August 30, 2020 – 08:08 I. Foto: Photonews I by Editors
Philippe Gilbert is forced to leave the Tour. The 38-year-old Lotto-Soudal rider broke his kneecap in the first stage.
“I was about twentieth position in the peloton when there was a crash ahead of me,” said Gilbert. “I managed to avoid that crash. I passed two or three riders and thought it was over, but then fell. them again and this time I couldn’t avoid them anymore. We were there with ten to fifteen riders … “
“I tried to straighten up immediately, but that was impossible. I waited there for two minutes, leaning on a guardrail. Then I left alone without really being able to put any force on the pedals. In a small group of fallen riders I managed. to finish without being able to help the others. I was in pain. A pain that I recognized from 2018 … ”
Gilbert already broke his kneecap in the 2018 Tour, during the descent of the Portrait d’Aspet.
