Ryan Mullen endured a hard day on stage two of De Panne yesterday, crashing on the 211-kilometre journey to Koksijde and chasing for as long as he could. He would eventually withdraw from the race.
By Brian Canty
Ryan Mullen is one of several Cannondale riders battling illness at the moment after being forced out of the Driedaagse De Panne Koksijde yesterday.
It’s been a disastrous month for the team who are down to just three men for the three-day Belgian race this week - and looking rather threadbare for the big Classics next month.
Four were listed as non-finishers after the opening stage of De Panne on Tuesday, with Mullen joining them yesterday.
He said he’s “not sure” what the issue is but following a blood test three weeks ago, results came back showing his iron levels are “pretty much half the level they should be at”.
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“I spoke with the team doctor and they said one sign of low iron is really slow recovery times.
“That would explain why I was getting dropped yesterday when my heart-rate was only 160,” he explained.
Mullen spent around 50 kilometres trying to get back into the bunch before eventually succumbing to defeat.
His case wasn’t helped either by a crash.
“That wasn’t too bad but I ripped open all my wounds that have only just healed from another crash last month,” he said.
He was going to be riding the Tour of Flanders next weekend because of the illnesses that have struck the team, but he will prepare for Scheldeprijs next Wednesday instead.
None of the team’s eight starters finished Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday while more are well below par just days ahead Tour of Flanders.
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