‘We have to digest this s*** day’ – Jorge Sanz insists Movistar will keep fighting after Marlen Reusser abandons Tour de France Femmes

Swiss rider Reusser, a leading contender for the Tour and, German Lippert, Movistar’s main contender to take the stage, were involved in a crash at the foot of the Cote de Cadoudal.

Reusser was expected to mount a serious challenge to defending champion Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) after winning the Tour de Suisse, as well as finishing second in both the Vuelta Femenina and the Giro d’Italia.

But despite those hopes falling at the first hurdle, Sanz wanted to look ahead as much as is possible.

“Today it started as a fight for the stage with Liane, also, if Marlen was okay to keep her for GC, but in a moment, boom, both go to s***,” Movistar sports director Sanz said.

“With Liane crashing, we put the full team trying to bring back Liane to the bunch, but it was not possible because the race was full speed.

“The sun rises tomorrow. First, we have to digest this s*** day, and for sure, next day we’ll be thinking new options.

“There are still eight stages to go, and it’s a really, really hard Tour de France and we for sure will fight to find new options.”

Sanz feels Reusser’s stomach problems stemmed from the Giro where she finished second behind Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE ADQ).

After recovering suitably, it was thought she was then able to compete for the yellow jersey, but the issue returned upon her arrival in France.

“It didn’t start today,” he added. “We think it comes from the Giro, the last three days she was suffering too much with the stomach issues.

“After the Giro she needed to recover more days than normal, but it seemed that she was recovered at the end of the week – at least she could train normally.

“So she came here after resting at home and trying to be full, but the day after she came here, she started to have again, stomach issues pretty similar as in Giro d’Italia.

“We tried to take care of her and to come back to 100% fitness but it was not possible and if you are not on full conditions here, you are almost dead.”