Wednesday 07 July 2021
Another fall on the 11th stage
Martin gives up tour covered in blood
Tony Martin fell right at the start of the Tour de France, but continued to drive. The wounds have only just healed when another fall on the eleventh section ends his participation. The Tour of France does not seem to bring him any luck.
Tony Martin and the Tour de France remain a complicated relationship. The German cyclist is taking part in the Tour of France for the 13th time this year – and has to give up the prestigious race for the sixth time before reaching the finish line in Paris. Early on on the 11th stage, which leads from Sorgues to Malaucène and over the infamous Mont Ventoux twice, Martin was sitting in the ditch. Bleeding from extensive abrasions, especially the right thigh seemed to have been damaged, and apparently also injured in the face.
The driver from the Jumbo-Visma team seemed to struggle for minutes, then he was taken care of by medical staff. Then sat down on a stretcher and was taken away in the ambulance. No return to the bike, no fighting back to the peloton, instead further treatment in the hospital and the certainty that the Tour of France will end on the 11th of 21 stages for Tony Martin.
The four-time world time trial champion had only just recovered from the consequences of the fall at the start of the tour in Brittany. There an inattentive spectator had brought him down with a cardboard sign and triggered a mass fall. Martin suffered bruises and grazes, but the tour continued. After the departure of his captain Primoz Roglic, Martin was supposed to support the Dane Jonas Vingegaard in the overall standings.
The wounds of this first fall had “healed to some extent”, the 36-year-old had said the day before and felt ready for the task. In the time trial on the penultimate stage, the veteran wanted to intervene again in the fight for the day’s victory, but “save a few grains” for it. After the recent fall and the resulting task, however, nothing will come of it.
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