Much-discussed Coquard completes climbing time trial but announces withdrawal at the top after bizarre injury

The sprinter stood at the side of the road, saw the breakaway group ride away from him, and, a good two minutes later, also saw the peloton race past. Coquard was left behind and had to chase alone. The 33-year-old was joined by the team car and the race doctor at the side of the road.

A little later, French television reported what they believed to be the cause of Coquard's time loss. “Bryan Coquard broke a finger while trying to grab a musette at high speed.” So things went wrong for Coquard during the medical treatment, who had already received criticism earlier in this Tour after Jasper Philipsen's crash (Alpecin-Deceuninck). The rider confirmed this at the end of ride 12. “I wanted to grab a bag, but I think I fractured my finger. I can’t bend it or brake.”

Miraculously, Coquard was back at the start of the thirteenth stage of the Tour on Friday, a climbing time trial to the top of Peyragudes. It was an ideal time trial for Coquard, as he did not have to brake and eventually finished 152nd. “We tried to immobilise it as much as possible so that it would work for today. It's a climb, so there's not too much risk. It will certainly be my last stand. I will certainly not be able to take the start tomorrow,” he said before the start.

“A Tour de France with many twists and turns,” Coquard told Cyclingnews after crossing the finish line. “Yesterday, my legs were back, and I was determined to finish the Tour de France in style. I wanted to do this time trial no matter what. Continuing the Tour would have meant a lot of suffering and an additional risk for the hand. It would have been a risk for me and for the peloton, too. It's time for me to withdraw.”