Cycling – Tour de France – Nimes, France, Team INEOS news conference – July 22, 2019 – Team INEOS rider Geraint Thomas of Britain attends a news conference during the second rest day. REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier
NIMES, France (Reuters) – Defending Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas suffered his third crash in this year’s race when he hit the ground during the 16th stage on Tuesday.
The Team Ineos rider fell off his bike in a right-hand curve with 129 kilometers left in the 177-km ride around Nimes.
He was brought back into the bunch by team mates Dylan van Baarle and Jonathan Castroviejo visibly unhurt.
Thomas, second overall behind leader Julian Alaphilippe of France, fell in the opening stage in Brussels and in the finale of the eighth stage to St Etienne.
Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ken Ferris