Enric Mas Injury Update: Why was he and Richard Carapaz pulled out of the Tour de France?
By Ava Barnes
Enric Mas and Richard Carapaz, two promising cyclists aiming for a podium finish in the 2023 Tour de France, had their hopes dashed when they crashed on the same corner during Stage 1. The accident took place on the descent of the Alto del Vivero, just 23 kilometers away from the finish line in Bilbao. While Carapaz managed to get back on his bike despite some discomfort and bleeding from his knees, Mas was unable to continue due to the severity of his injuries.
After the crash, Carapaz soldiered on but finished 15 minutes and 24 seconds behind the stage winner, Adam Yates of UAE Team Emirates. However, later medical tests revealed that Carapaz had sustained a small fracture in his left kneecap. As a result, he made the difficult decision not to start Stage 2, as announced by EF Education-EasyPost.
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Both Mas and Carapaz were considered contenders who could take advantage of any mishaps by the favorites, Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates and Jonas Vingegaard of Jumbo-Visma. Unfortunately, luck was not on their side, and they found themselves facing the disappointment of leaving the race prematurely.
Enric Mas, a three-time runner-up in the Vuelta a España and a former fifth-place finisher in the 2020 Tour de France, had high expectations for this year’s race. Similarly, Richard Carapaz, the winner of the Giro d’Italia in 2019 and a podium finisher in all three Grand Tours, had hoped to make an impact. However, their dreams were shattered due to the unfortunate crash.
Mas’s team confirmed his withdrawal from the Tour de France through a tweet that provided an update on his condition. The tweet mentioned the small fracture in his left kneecap, which was detected through an ultrasound scan, and noted that he had received three stitches to close a cut on the same knee. Thankfully, no other injuries were reported, but Mas will now focus on his recovery, which will begin at home.
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Enric Mas expressed his disappointment with the outcome of the Tour de France on social media, thanking his fans for their support and wishing his teammates success in the remaining stages of the race. He acknowledged the unpredictable nature of cycling and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to ride on the roads cherished by fans year after year.
With Mas and Carapaz being the first two riders to abandon the race, and considering the high number of dropouts in the previous year’s Tour de France, it remains to be seen if more cyclists will be forced to withdraw during the remaining 20 stages of the race.
