Manchester-based cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins has been forced to end his assault on the Giro d’Italia this morning due to a chest infection.
The Olympic gold medalist, and 2012 Tour de France winner, made a promising start to the tour of Italy but has dropped off the pace in the last week and will not start today’s 13th stage from Busseto to Cherasco.
Medical staff monitored the 33-year-old overnight following a difficult stage 12 that saw Wiggins slip off the back of the peloton in the closing stages.
Sir Dave Brailsford, Team Sky team principle, said: His chest infection has been getting worse and our primary concern is always the health of our riders.
“Bradley will return to the UK today for treatment and to rest and we hope to have him back on the road as soon as possible.
“As a passionate racer he wanted to continue but he is simply unable to do so on medical grounds.”
Wiggins had been hopeful of adding this year’s Giro to the Tour de France crown he won last summer.
But after a promising start to the race, the first Grand Tour of the year, Wiggins struggled to keep pace with the leaders, finally dropping off the peloton yesterday.
Last year’s Giro d’Italia winner Ryder Hesjedal has also withdrawn from the race with a virus.
Image courtesy of Rai Sports via YouTube, with thanks.
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