The Ag2r La Mondiale team and its GC rider Jean Christophe Peraud are facing a nervous wait to determine if the Frenchman can continue in the Tour de France.
Peraud, who has been riding well throughout the Tour and sits ninth overall in the general classification, fell while checking out the course of today’s time trial. He has suffered injuries to his shoulder in the accident, which happened between the two climbs on the course.
He has been taken to hospital where scans will be carried out. The results of these will determine if he can continue in the Tour.
He started the day eight minutes 47 seconds behind race leader Chris Froome, and four minutes 22 seconds off third overall.
Peraud lost some time yesterday when he finished in the group behind Froome and the main GC contenders, but accepted the result.
“I didn’t manage to be in the yellow jersey group but I have no regrets because riders of this group are all already in front of me in the overall standings,” he said. “It was more a close marking race than anything else. I was in a group with riders between seventh and tenth overall, it was racing at every level. I did my best and I’m not disappointed.”