Mathieu van der Poel quits Tour de France with pneumonia

Dutch cyclist Mathieu van der Poel has withdrawn from the Tour de France after developing pneumonia, his team Alpecin-Deceuninck said on Tuesday morning.

The announcement came just hours before the start of stage 16, which takes riders from Montpellier to Mont Ventoux.

Van der Poel, 30, won stage two in the opening week and twice wore the yellow jersey. His team said a cold he had developed worsened on Monday, and he was taken to hospital in Narbonne as a precaution.

“Medical tests revealed that Mathieu is suffering from pneumonia,” the team said on social media. “In consultation with the medical staff, it was decided that he can no longer continue the race. His health is the top priority, and rest and recovery are now essential.”