(Reuters) – Defending champion Egan Bernal withdrew from the Tour de France ahead of stage 17, his team Ineos Grenadiers announced on Wednesday.
“This is obviously not how I wanted my Tour de France to end, but I agree that it is the right decision for me under the circumstances,” Bernal said in a statement here.
“I have the utmost respect for this race and I can’t wait to come back in the years to come.
The 23-year-old will focus on his recovery from the Tour and reset his goals for the remainder of the season, his team said.
Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Clarence Fernandez
