Tony Martin out of Tour de France after crash on stage six
German's broken collarbone means Chris Froome retakes lead
Friday 10 July 2015 10:03, UK
Tony Martin is out of the Tour de France after fracturing his left collarbone in a late crash on stage six, leaving Chris Froome as the new race leader.
Martin had been in the yellow jersey, 12 seconds ahead of Froome, but fell heavily 900m from the finish line in Le Havre after clipping the back wheel of the rider in front of him.
He confirmed the fracture shortly after the stage but signalled his intention to remain at the race when tweeting: “Collarbone is broken. We will discuss further steps.”
However, his Etixx – Quick-Step team confirmed a couple of hours later that the 30-year-old German required surgery and would not start Friday’s seventh stage.
In a statement, Martin said: "We went to make an X-Ray directly after the finish because I was thinking, 'OK, maybe I am wrong. Maybe I can start tomorrow'. But now it is confirmed my clavicle [collarbone] is broken. This has been like a movie, an emotional roller coaster at this Tour. Now I am really sad.
"I really wish I could continue, to even just start tomorrow, even if it is broken. I wish I could honor the jersey and show it one last time with a ceremony at the start. I could enjoy it a little more than I have the last days and then stop.
"But it is now clear I need to go to the hospital for surgery immediately, and my race is over. It's hard to accept. I would like to keep fighting. But the doctor has the last word, and when he says there is no way to continue I must accept this."
Etixx - Quick-Step's doctor, Helge Riepenhof, said: "The collarbone is in lots of pieces, so it was a major impact. One of the pieces came through the skin, which means it's an open fracture. Therefore, even if it was Tony's wish to start tomorrow, I have to say he is not allowed to."
Martin becomes the second race leader to crash out of this year’s race, following Fabian Cancellara’s exit with a broken back on stage three.
When Martin fails to sign on for Friday's seventh stage, Froome will move back to the top of the general classification, having previously led the race on stage four, with Tejay van Garderen rising to second place, 13 seconds down. Peter Sagan is a further two seconds adrift in third.
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