Cycling-Ineos-Grenadiers' Thomas pulling out of Giro - Gazzetta dello Sport

Ineos-Grenadiers team leader Geraint Thomas is pulling out of cycling’s Giro d’Italia after a crash on the third stage, Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Tuesday. The Welshman's Giro challenge effectively came to an end before the first climb on Monday, after he was dropped following an early crash.

Ineos-Grenadiers team leader Geraint Thomas is pulling out of cycling's Giro d'Italia after a crash on the third stage, Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Tuesday.

The Welshman's Giro challenge effectively came to an end before the first climb on Monday, after he was dropped following an early crash. An Ineos-Grenadiers spokesman told Reuters the team would send a medical update "within minutes". BBC Wales wrote on Twitter that the rider had fractured his hip.

Thomas also had to abandon the Giro in 2017, five days after hitting the ground in a crash involving a race motorbike. The Welshman has been left out of the team's Tour de France squad because of poor form.

On Monday, Thomas crashed in the neutral zone before the start, his front wheel hitting a feeding bottle while he was riding at full speed. The team said on Monday evening that he had suffered a blow to his hip, adding: "The initial X-rays didn't show anything broken, but we are awaiting confirmation in the morning. We will treat him tonight, continue to monitor him and then review it in the morning again."