Zdenek Stybar suffers dental dilemma at Tour of Flanders
Czech rider forced to take false teeth out mid-race
Tuesday 21 April 2015 16:49, UK
Zdenek Stybar has admitted it was "not nice" to have to take his false teeth out after they had rattled loose midway through the Tour of Flanders.
The Etixx – Quick-Step rider has a dental bridge after losing three teeth in a crash at the Eneco Tour last August.
However, he had to remove the bridge during Sunday’s 264.9km one-day classic when it became dislodged as he tackled the race's rough cobbled roads.
Stybar said: "It's difficult to say how the loss of my teeth affected my performance, but it's really not nice to deal with it in such a big race. I was distracted by it and didn't know what to do.
“It happened before the second trip up the Kwaremont [a key climb that was ridden three times]. Because it's a bridge, it was moving, so I took it out. It's not the best feeling to ride without teeth.”
Stybar went on to finish ninth, 49 seconds behind winner Alexander Kristoff.
