Time trial champion’s odd exit turns heads as Brit takes stage

BAGNERES- DEBIGORRE, France — In 116 years of racing at the Tour de France, riders have done all sorts of bizarre things, but rarely have they just vanished in the middle of a stage like Rohan Dennis did Thursday in the first Pyrenean stage.

For a couple of hours on an otherwise uneventful day in the mountains, nobody was able to say where the time trial world champion had gone. His Bahrain-Merida team even sent an alarming message out on social networks, saying all it cared about was “the welfare” of Dennis after Tour organizers announced he had pulled out of the race.

The Australian ultimately resurfaced at the finish line, where British rider Simon Yates, the reigning Spanish Vuelta champion, posted his first stage win after a long breakaway that did not shuffle the overall standings.

Dennis did not make any comment about his decision to pull out.

“We are also confused,” Bahrain- Merida team director Gorazd Stangelj said. “It was his decision today to stop at the feed zone. We tried to speak with him, he said ‘ I just don’t want to talk,‘ and abandoned the race.”

Stangelj said Dennis’ condition was good enough to perform, adding he was not aware of any kind of argument that could have sparked the rider’s decision.

Dennis’ withdrawal was even more surprising as it came a day before a short time trial Friday in Pau, where he would have been an obvious favorite alongside defending Tour champion Geraint Thomas.

Dennis’ bizarre withdrawal was the talk of the day but did not eclipse Yates’ maiden win at the Tour.

The British rider was joined at the front by Gregor Muhlberger and Pello Bilbao. The trio worked well together until the final sprint shaped up 200 meters from the finish line in Bagneres-de-Bigorre. Yates launched the sprint, was first into the last turn and held off Bilbao for the victory.

“I wasn’t very confident in beating them,” said Yates. “I didn’t know how fast these two riders were but my sport director told me to take the last corner in first position and I’m glad it worked out well. To have a stage at all three Grand Tours makes me very proud.”

As the Tour hit high mountains with two first-category climbs, the main favorites closely watched each other and did not attack, saving strength for the hard days still to come. Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe kept the race leader’s yellow jersey ahead of Friday’s time trial in Pau, 1 minute, 12 seconds ahead of defending champion Geraint Thomas.

Thomas’ teammate Egan Bernal, the Ineos co- leader, remained in third place, a further four seconds behind.