The incident occurred during the fifth stage of the event
Tour de France competitor Daniel Oss broke his neck during the fifth stage of the event following a collision with a fan which led to him landing on the cobblestones.
The Italian rider somehow managed to finish the stage on Thursday but was immediately taken to hospital for scans which revealed he had fractured a vertebra in his neck.
Oss was travelling at a particularly high speed before crashing into the onlooking fan, who had leaned out with his phone into his path while filming the other riders.
The fan fell to the ground as a result of the impact, while Oss fell off his bike and into the back of another racer, who also fell off onto the cobblestones.
Sector 3 chute spectateurs @TeamTotalEnrg @Daniel87Oss pic.twitter.com/dkExu8NNwl
— Victor Loy (@LoyVictor) July 6, 2022
TotalEnergies, the team that Oss rides for, provided the latest update in a statement which confirmed he wouldn’t be able to take any further part in the race.
It said: “Additional examinations revealed a fracture of a cervical vertebra requiring immobilisation for a few weeks.
“Daniel Oss is therefore forced to leave the Tour de France. The whole team wishes you a good recovery Daniel.”
Les examens complémentaires ont mis en évidence une fracture d’une vertèbre cervicale nécessitant une immobilisation pour quelques semaines. Daniel Oss est donc contraint de quitter le Tour de France… 😢
Toute l’équipe te souhaite un bon rétablissement Daniel ❤️ pic.twitter.com/jGh0D2HOo7
— Team TotalEnergies (@TeamTotalEnrg) July 6, 2022
Michael Gogl, the other rider involved in the collision, was left with a broken collarbone and pelvis. Another rider involved in the race was also injured in a separate incident and was forced to miss Friday’s sixth stage of the race.
Tadej Pogacar is currently the holder of the yellow jersey but history was made in the fourth stage on Wednesday as Australian cycling veteran Simon Clarke became the oldest Australian to win a stage of the tour at the age of 35.
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