Uno-X Mobility have confirmed that Tobias Halland Johannessen is doing "much better" after requiring oxygen at the finish of Tour de France stage 16 on Mont Ventoux and being taken off the mountain in an ambulance.
The Norwegian finished the stage in 28th, maintaining his eighth place in the general classification. But after the exhausting effort, he was lying in visible agony on the ground receiving medical treatment at the iconic finish due to abdominal pain.
Initial fears of something more sinister were lessened when Uno-X provided an official update on their Instagram account late on Tuesday.
"Tobias is back at the hotel and feeling well. All tests have come back fine. We will use the night to let him rest and make a decision regarding tomorrow’s start in the morning," the team post read.
After the stage, Johannessen went to hospital for a thorough check as he "suffered some right-sided upper abdominal pain during the final climb today", according to the team, and at the finish "he was seen immediately by race doctors and given oxygen."
ITV's Daniel Friebe confirmed via X that Johannessen was in good spirits after a visit to the medical truck, and that no decision on whether or not he'll continue the Tour will come until after he has liver & blood checks done at the hospital in Avignon.
“He feels much better. That was dramatic seeing him lying down with stomach pain, but luckily, he feels better and will go to the hospital for a check-up. That was our team doctor's advice, so I think that's the best thing to do," said Uno-X Mobility team manager Thor Hushovd to WielerFlits.
"It's too early to say [how it will affect the coming days]. Now, the most important thing is that Tobias is doing better and well, and the health of the rider is the most important thing for us now. If there are issues, we will listen to that, but we won't know until later today."
Johannessen was later pictured smiling and giving a thumbs-up to cameras after his initial checks, and Norway's TV2 have stated that he should be at the start tomorrow.
Ventoux's iconic fame has never been far from its exhausting brutality, with Tom Simson tragically passing on its slopes in 1967, and Eddy Merckx famously requiring oxygen at the summit after he conquered it in 1970.
"He talked to us in the last few kilometres and said he was struggling to get air. He was struggling a bit with stomach cramps," said Uno-X DS Stig Kristiansen, before summing up Mont Ventoux perfectly. "It's a mountain that takes its toll."
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