Tour de France points leader Beniam Germay (Intermacchi-Wanti) crashed at a roundabout in the final kilometre of stage 16 in what was one of the last chances for the riders in this year’s race.
Germay’s lead in the green jersey was cut to just 32 points after Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Desonninck) won the third stage of the race in Nimes.
Before Tuesday’s stage, Germay’s lead was a very comfortable 96 points, but Philipson beat him in the intermediate sprint to take four more points than the Eritrean and take 50 points for the stage win.
There is only one possible stage left for the sprinters, with the mountainous Stage 18 to Barcelonnette, the last chance in a final week of steep mountain finishes before the final time trial in Nice on Sunday.
Phillipson expressed concern for Jermaine after hearing about the incident and said he was not sure he would be able to overtake the points leader.
“He’s climbing very well,” Philipson said. “I just hope he’s okay after the crash, because he didn’t deserve to lose like this yet.”
Germay finished the stage in 141st place, ahead of team-mates Hugo Page and Coby Goossens who led him across the finish line.
More is coming.
