Richie Porte Crash Updates: Tour de France challenger badly injured,

There is yet to be a full statement from the Tour following Porte’s accident.

Porte and Dan Martin crashed on a bend midway through stage nine of the Tour.

“He was conscious, it’s reassuring, he is being transferred to the hospital,” race doctor Florence Pommery said.

Reports that Porte may have fractured his back appear to be untrue, although his current condition is not yet known.

Porte’s bike sprang out from beneath him after he cut into a bend while descending Mont du Chat outside Lyon.

He fell forward head first onto the road and then went into the wall on the opposite side of the tarmac, colliding with Martin.

He was put in a neck brace by medical officials, while Martin, who got up from the incident, crashed again shortly after.

The 32-year-old is Chris Froome’s main challenger for the Tour this year.

Sun, July 9, 2017

Richie Porte has suffered serious injuries after crashing during stage nine of the Tour de France

Richie Porte crash Tour de France graphic images

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Richie Porte has been ruled out of the Tour de France after a horrific crash

GETTY / TWITTER

Richie Porte crashed on day nine of the Tour de France

AFP/GETTY

Richie Porte was put in a neck brace by medics

Tour de France stage nine

The ninth stage was eventually won by Cannondale-Drapac rider Rigo Uran, who beat Warren Barguil into second place.

Froome finished third to maintain his challenge for the overall victory.

Martin spoke after the race about the incident, saying: “Richie lost it on one corner – it was so slippery, I guess the organisers got what they wanted.

“It was so slippery under the trees.

“I was very, very lucky to get away as lightly as I did.”

Martin also tweeted: “Not nice arriving at the next hairpin [after the Porte crash] and learning I had no front brake”.

TWITTER

Rigo Uran won the ninth stage

Haven’t watched today’s stage and 100% won’t be after reading some of my mates have been hurt. Really hope all who crashed today are ok.

— Mark Cavendish (@MarkCavendish) July 9, 2017

#TDF2017 Devastating images of @richie_porte coming from the road after a nasty crash. Richie will be taken to hospital for examination.

— BMC Racing Team (@BMCProTeam) July 9, 2017

Feel very sorry for my good friend and training buddy. @richie_porte It won’t be the same here without you! Heal quick

— Michael Valgren (@MichaelValgren) July 9, 2017

All fingers crossed that Richie Porte is ok. That crash looked nasty.

— Simon Geschke (@simongeschke) July 9, 2017

Crazy day on @LeTour Remarkably it seems I bounced well and I’m relatively ok. Sure to be sore tomorrow. Best wishes @richie_porte

— Dan Martin (@DanMartin86) July 9, 2017

Reaction to the crash

An official announcement from the Tour is expected.

His team BMC Racing tweeted: “Devastating images of @richie_porte coming from the road after a nasty crash. Richie will be taken to hospital for examination.”

The incident happened when Porte was travelling at 72.5km.

The Tour’s official twitter account confirmed his race for the year is over.

He was quickly put into an ambulance and taken to hospital.

AFP/GETTY

Richie Porte was carried off on a stretcher

Geraint Thomas injury

Porte is not the first cyclist to have exited the Tour after a major crash this year.

Geraint Thomas, one of Froome’s key helpers, also fell on stage nine and left the race with a broken collarbone.

He tweeted afterwards: “Such a s*** day!!! Nowhere to go when Rafa went down right in front of me. But I’m ok though, thanks for all your messages!!”

Mark Cavendish also exited the Tour earlier this week when breaking his shoulder after being nudged into barriers on a sprint finish by Peter Sagan, who was subsequently disqualified.

TWITTER GERAINT THOMAS