New Zealand cyclist Sam Bewley has been forced to abandon his debut Tour de France following a crash on today's 10th stage.
Photo: AFP
A series of crashes throughout the stage marred the return to racing after the first rest day.
Numerous big names hit the deck throughout the nervous 168.5km stage, with Bewley (Mitchelton-Scott) forced to abandon his race with a fractured wrist after being caught in a mass crash 100km into the stage.
Nicolas Roche (Team Sunweb) was also affected, as was American climber Neilson Powless (EF Pro Cycling), and Jumbo-Visma domestique Robert Gesink.
Meanwhile, Bewley's Mitchelton-Scott outfit is one of four teams that has had a staff member test positive for coronavirus.
One staff member from each of the French outfits Cofidis and AG2R-La Mondiale, Britain's Team Ineos and Australia's Mitchelton-Scott had contracted the virus.
Another New Zealander Jack Bauer also rides for Mitchelton-Scott.
#TDF2020
— Mitchelton-SCOTT (@MitcheltonSCOTT) September 8, 2020
Unfortunately @SamBewley has had to abandon following the crash ❌
Terrible luck for the Kiwi in his debut @LeTour pic.twitter.com/eK5VKrzoIT
French health authorities and organisers have said that should two members of a team, riders or staff, test positive for the coronavirus the whole outfit will be kicked out of the race.
All the riders tested negative and were able to start today's stage with Ireland's Sam Bennett winning a sprint finish.
Bennett completed his set of Grand Tour victories when he prevailed in the 10th stage outsprinting Australian Caleb Ewan and Slovakian Peter Sagan for his first win in cycling's biggest event.
Slovenian Primoz Roglic still leads overall.
