Tony Martin crashes out during Tour de France Ventoux stage

July 7, 2021Updated: July 7, 2021 6:49 a.m.

German Tony Martin rides with injuries on the arm after a crash during the first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 197.8 kilometers (122.9 miles) with start in Brest and finish in Landerneau, France, Saturday, June 26, 2021.Daniel Cole/AP

MALAUCENE, France (AP) — German rider Tony Martin was stretchered off the Tour de France course after crashing out of the race on Wednesday.

The former time-trial world champion from the Jumbo-Visma team fell early in Stage 11, which features a double ascent of the iconic Mont Ventoux in southeastern France.

Martin tumbled into a ditch along the road and got to his feet with his right leg and arm bloodied. He looked groggy as he was tended to by the race medical team before he was stretchered off into an ambulance.

The 36-year-old Martin had crashed in the Tour’s opening stage after a careless spectator brandished a large cardboard sign while leaning into his path.

It was the sixth time in 13 appearances that Martin abandoned the race, according to Tour de France organizers.

Jumbo-Visma team leader Primoz Roglic, who was runner-up last year, retired from the race last week. Roglic had crashed badly during the third stage in the western Brittany region and did not recover.

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