In a display of sheer grit and determination, French cyclist Emilien Jeanniere of the TotalEnergies team has withdrawn from the 2025 Tour de France after unknowingly riding 174 kilometres with a fractured left shoulder blade.
The 26-year-old, participating in his very first Tour de France, sustained the injury during a crash at the end of the third stage in Dunkirk on Monday. Despite suffering facial injuries, multiple bruises, and needing dental work for a broken tooth, Jeanniere pushed through and completed the fourth stage from Amiens to Rouen on Tuesday. He finished in 147th place, trailing more than 15 minutes behind the stage winner, Tadej Pogacar.
On Wednesday morning, further medical examinations revealed the full extent of his injuries, confirming a fracture in his shoulder. His team immediately announced his withdrawal from the competition.
In a separate announcement, Team Lotto confirmed that Belgian rider Jasper De Buyst would also be leaving the race after falling ill with a fever.
Meanwhile, Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel wears the yellow jersey going into Wednesday’s time trial, although he shares the same time as three-time champion Tadej Pogacar. Two-time Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard trails by just eight seconds. However, the spotlight remains on Belgian star Remco Evenepoel, the reigning world and Olympic time trial champion, who is 58 seconds behind and hoping to secure his first-ever yellow jersey.
#TourDeFrance #EmilienJeanniere #CyclingNews
