French sprinter Nacer Bouhanni will miss the 2016 Tour de France due to the injuries sustained in a fracas at a hotel the night before the French national road race.
In an altercation, Bouhanni suffered injuries to his hand which resulted in a trip to A&E and required stitches.
The Frenchman consequently abandoned the French national road race – which he won back in 2012 – but had remained hopeful of leading Cofidis’ sprinting charge at the Tour.
But the deterioration of his injury means Bouhanni will miss the race, leaving Cofidis without a lead sprinter for the race, at which they were targeting stage wins.
“Faced with the deterioration of the situation, Nacer had surgery on Tuesday at 6pm at the University Hospital of Nancy,” a team statement read.
“The decision was made not to take any risk to the health of the athlete, who now needs rest to project toward new goals.”
Bouhanni has never won a Tour de France stage, despite picking up victories at both the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana, with misfortune seemingly following the Frenchman.
He crashed out of both the 2013 and 2015 editions of the race, and was not selected for the 2014 Tour by FDJ – a decision which prompted his switch to Cofidis.
Nicolas Edet, a former Vuelta a Espana King of the Mountains winner, will replace Bouhanni in the line-up and support a climbing group already boasting Arnold Jeannesson and Daniel Navarro.
“The team’s strategy will obviously be redirected after this,” the statement continued. “[But] the will and determination of the team remain intact on the objective of a stage win.”
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