A very unusual incident in the mixed zone - where journalists interview riders - at Paris Nice has forced Luxembourg champion Kevin Geniets out of the race with an ankle injury.
The Groupama-FDJ rider was cycling through the zone before today's stage when a hoarding used as a backdrop for TV interviews was caught by a gust of wind and blew on top of him.
The metal structure knocked the 25-year-old off his bike and he looked in a lot of pain when the cameras picked him out after the incident, all of which was caught on camera because it was in the mixed zone. While Geniets struggled on, got back on his bike and started the stage, he was soon forced to abandon.
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The field at Paris-Nice has been hit hard by flu, while a smaller number of cyclists have also been forced out through crashes and other injuries. While 184 riders started the race last Sunday, just over 100 remain, including Irish riders Sam Bennett and Ryan Mullen of Bora-hansgrohe.
