Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) was involved in a high-speed crash with just under four kilometres remaining on stage 11 into Toulouse at the Tour de France.
Pogačar finished the stage and appeared to have abrasions on his left side with torn shorts, but said that he was otherwise doing OK.
"I'm quite OK, a bit beaten up, but we have been through worse days. It's been a hectic day from start to finish, and in the end, I had a crash, and thanks to the peloton that actually waited."
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UAE Team Emirates-XRG released a medical update that confirmed Pogačar had no fractures and no concussion, but did suffer bruising and abrasions.
"After a full examination post-stage, fortunately, Tadej suffered no serious injury. No concussion or fractures. He has some general bruising and abrasions to his left forearm and hip, but is otherwise okay. We will continue to monitor him, but at this stage, he is medically cleared to continue racing," said Dr.Adrian Rotunno, Medical Director.
With roughly four kilometres to go in the 156.8km stage, the World Champion overlapped wheels with Tobias Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility) and crashed, sliding across the pavement toward the left side of the road.
Television footage showed Pogačar then hitting the roadside curb, but he got back up quickly with assistance from neutral service, helping to get his chain back on his bike.
Pogačar then chased his way back onto the back of the next chase group, seven seconds behind the group including the yellow jersey Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) and his main GC rivals Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep).
Healy and the yellow-jersey group slowed, appearing to wait for Pogačar, and he eventually reconnected just before reaching the finish line in Toulouse. "I was on the right of him. But I didn't see what happened. I just hope that he is OK," Healy said in a post-race interview.
Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) went on to win the stage and Pogačar crossed the line 3:28 back in 35th place with the same time as, Healy, Vingegaard and Evenepoel, and so did not lose time in the overall classification.
Pogačar stopped just after the finish line and appeared to have abrasions on his left side with torn shorts, and his handlebars and brake lever were bent inward.
Despite the crash, Pogačar remains in second place overall at 29 seconds behind Healy as the race heads into stage 12 to Hautacam.
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