Remco Evenepoel has withdrawn from the Tour de France. The Soudal Quick-Step leader was unable to recover in the fourteenth stage after his difficult day in the Tour. In fact, on the way to Luchon-Superbagnères, he had already dropped on the Col du Tourmalet, the first climb of the day.
Evenepoel won the time trial around Caen in the first week and stood third in the general classification at the foot of the Pyrenees, behind Tadej Pogacar and the yellow jersey Ben Healy. However, he struggled in the first real mountain stage to Hautacam. He still managed to hold onto third place then, as well as a day later in the climbing time trial to Peyragudes, but in that stage he suffered another heavy blow. Vingegaard caught him, and in the stage result, he finished only twelfth.
Evenepoel was not the only big name to abandon early during the fourteenth stage. Mattias Skjelmose also abandoned. The Dane started out in good spirits and even attacked in the opening phase, but then crashed hard. He fell behind the peloton alone and eventually withdrew. Right at the start of the stage, Stef Cras also abandoned.
