Marianne Vos abandons Women’s Tour needing stitches to her face after major crash on stage three

Vos, who won the inaugural Women’s Tour in 2014, was forced to withdraw from the race and visit hospital, but her injuries were not serious

Marianne Vos has abandoned the Women’s Tour after a crash left her needing stitches to her face.

The legendary Dutch rider, who won the Tour de Yorkshire last month, was back in Britain for the six-stage race across England and Wales, and was wearing the overall leader’s green jersey when she got caught up in a major crash at the start of stage three from Henley to Blenheim Palace.

Vos, who won the inaugural Women’s Tour in 2014, was forced to withdraw from the race and visit hospital, but her injuries were not serious.

“The speed went up in preparation for the second intermediate sprint. There was a fall before me, due to a dent in the road, which I could not avoid. I fell hard on my head and, apart from a cut and some scratches, I don’t have any other injuries.

Yet I went to the hospital because the cut had to be stitched. Very unfortunate, I was quite upset by it, because I was in such a good position. But even after a fall, the race continues, but this time without me.”