Traeen pulls out of Tour de France following crash on mountain stage

Norwegian cyclist Torstein Traeen has been forced to abandon the Tour de France due to injuries sustained in a crash during the seventh stage. His team, Uno-X Mobility, confirmed on July 9 that Traeen suffered a concussion and multiple rib fractures after colliding with a teammate's bike on a descent.

The incident occurred on the Col du Tourmalet, the first major mountain test of the race. Despite the crash, the 30-year-old rider was able to finish the stage. However, post-race medical assessments revealed the severity of his injuries, leading to his withdrawal.

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This is really not the ending we wanted for this yellow adventure. The rider will now enter the team's concussion protocol. Torstein has given the team a historic moment ... but after further checks it was clear that he could not continue.

Traeen's departure marks a disappointing end to what had been a historic run for both him and his team. He had captured the coveted yellow jersey as the overall leader after the fourth stage and successfully defended it through the fifth. This achievement represented the first time the Uno-X Mobility team had ever worn the leader's jersey in the Tour de France.

"This is really not the ending we wanted for this yellow adventure," said Uno-X Mobility General Manager Thor Hushovd. "The rider will now enter the team's concussion protocol. Torstein has given the team a historic moment... but after further checks it was clear that he could not continue." Traeen himself had indicated he was feeling unwell after crossing the finish line, telling reporters, "My head is hurting a bit and obviously my ribs are not super fine."

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My head is hurting a bit and obviously my ribs are not super fine.