A crash on stage 3 of the Critérium du Dauphiné has left former World Champion Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) with a mild concussion and out of the race under the team's health protocols.
Pedersen crashed along with Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) in what appeared to be a minor touch-of-wheels fall. But the team determined that the effects of the crash were too significant for the 25-year-old Dane to continue.
"It's obviously very disappointing to abandon any race, especially at this point in the season as we prepare for our bigger goals, but health comes first," Pedersen said in a team press release.
"I tried after the crash, but in the end, it was clear that it wasn't in my best interest to keep going. Fortunately, I don't have any physical injuries and, after a full check-up from our team doctor, it looks like it's not a serious concussion. The team doctor will monitor the situation again this evening and tomorrow, and from there, we will plan my recovery."
Like many other teams, Trek-Segafredo has employed a concussion protocol to help the team quickly assess riders after crashes. Before the UCI instituted their own protocol, Trek-Segafredo partnered with HeadCheck Health, Inc for concussion assessment tools, which detected Pedersen's mild concussion.
After Pedersen dropped out, Jasper Stuyven led the squad's push in the stage 3 finale but he was no match for Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious), who won the stage over Alex Aranburu (Astana-Premier Tech). Stuyven looked set to take third but was pipped at the line by UAE Team Emirates' Brandon McNulty.
"I tried my best, but I think Colbrelli is on a really good level at the moment. Fourth place is not bad, but I would have liked to be a little bit closer to the victory at least," Stuyven said.
