After the first week of the Tour de France, where Team Argos-Shimano almost daily tried to achieve a mass sprint, the first mountain stage was about making it into a breakaway and survive. Because the riders were not able to get into a group of attackers, the focus was mainly on making it over the first mountains. Especially for Johannes Fröhlinger.
After the heavy crash of Friday many riders of Team Argos-Shimano were suffering from abrasions. In Fröhlinger’s case the damage was bigger. The German broke his pinky during the crash. His hand is in a cast and he suffered in Stage 7.
“I didn’t have any problems riding my bike and I felt safe in the peloton, but my hand was hurting. That’s why I took it easy today”, Fröhlinger stated after he finished 166th on La Planche des Belles Fille. “Because of the vibrations on the bike my pinky was quite painful.”
Those vibrations are an issue. There’s a chance that the fracture in the finger can worsen. An operation was ruled out earlier, could be necessary. “Together with the team doctor I will keep a close eye on the situation. I’ll try to continue as long as possible because I don’t just want to give up. Come on, this is the Tour de France.”
On Sunday the peloton heads into Switzerland. After the start in Belfort the pack will ride 157 kilometers to the finish in Porrentruy.
