Tour de France 2023: Podium hopefuls Enric Mas and Richard Carapaz abandon race after crash on Stage 1
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Updated 02/07/2023 at 12:39 GMT
Former Giro d'Italia champion Richard Carapaz and three-time Vuelta runner-up Enric Mas crashed out on an eventful opening stage of the Tour de France. The pair were widely expected to challenge for a podium spot behind favourites Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard but were caught out in the same incident. Stream the 2023 Tour de France live and on-demand on discovery+ and eurosport.co.uk.
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Podium hopefuls Enric Mas (Movistar) and Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) abandoned the 2023 Tour de France after crashing on the same corner on Stage 1.
The pair crashed on the descent of the Alto del Vivero, 23km from the finish in Bilbao, with Mas unable to continue.
Although Carapaz remounted, he appeared in some discomfort and was bleeding from both knees. The Ecuadorian finished 15'24" down on stage winner Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates), with tests later revealing a "small fracture" to his left kneecap.
"Richard Carapaz will not start Stage 2 of the Tour de France after an ultrasound scan revealed a small fracture in his left kneecap," read a statement from EF Education-EasyPost.
While Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) were considered the unstoppable favourites for this year's yellow jersey, Mas and Carapaz were among those looking to pounce on any mishaps. Instead, both riders were left cursing their luck.
Mas is a three-time runner-up at the Vuelta and was fifth at the Tour in 2020. Carapaz won the Giro in 2019 and has finished on the podium at all three Grand Tours.
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Stream the 2023 Tour de France and Giro d'Italia Donne live and on-demand on discovery+ and eurosport.co.uk
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