Patrick Bevin, one of four Kiwis in the race, quit the Tour de France after struggling to keep pace with the peloton on the 14th stage from Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux to Mende yesterday.
Bevin, 27, was part of the BMC team that raced to victory in the team time trial on stage three. BMC then lost team leader Richie Porte to injury following a crash on stage nine.
Bevin went on to help Belgian teammate Greg Van Avermaet defend the yellow jersey from stage three until he lost the race lead to Geraint Thomas on stage 11 to La Rosiere in the Alps. Despite coming through Friday's mainly flat 13th stage to Valence, Bevin's efforts suffering from gastroenteritis over three tough days in the Alps appeared to catch up with him.
Even though the main peloton refused to chase down an early breakaway of 32 riders, the Kiwi racer was struggling to hang on at the back of the pack. He eventually abandoned 75km from the finish of the 188km stage.
It was Bevin's second Tour de France, having finished 114th on his debut with Cannondale in 2017.
