Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) started the 2013 Giro d’Italia as pre-race favourite, bidding to add a second Grand Tour to his palmares, but would leave the race ahead of stage 13 with that dream in tatters.
The Tour de France champion, who had struggled with the wet weather conditions throughout the first week of the race, was withdrawn by his team on medical grounds due to a “worsening chest infection”.
Wiggins went into stage 12 in fourth overall, two minutes and five second behind race leader Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), but lost more than three minutes after being dropped 40km from the finish. The 33-year-old will now return to the UK for treatment.
“We monitored Bradley overnight and this morning we’ve withdrawn him from the Giro after consulting the team doctor,” said Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford. “His chest infection has been getting worse and our primary concern is always the health of our riders.
“As a passionate racer he wanted to continue but he is simply unable to do so on medical grounds.”
These pictures tell the story of Wiggins’ Giro d’Italia.
