Giro d'Italia stage winner Benjamin Thomas becomes latest abandon on miserable stage 16

After the ultimate high of his breakaway victory on stage 5 of the 2024 Giro d'Italia, Cofidis' Benjamin Thomas has now sadly abandoned the Grand Tour in the early part of a miserable stage 16.

"We have just learned of the abandonment of Benjamin Thomas on this 16th stage. We will give you news very quickly," reveals an official announcement by the social media pages of the 28-year-old Frenchman's Cofidis team. "Good recovery Benjamin!"

In the process, Thomas becomes the third abandon of the day following Jenthe Biermans and Danny van Poppel. As garnered from the post by Cofidis though, not too much is known surrounding the abandon of Thomas as of yet, but we will keep you up to date as and when any further information about the condition of the Frenchman is revealed.

The start of stage 16 has not been without controversy either as the peloton and the CPA went to war with race organisers RCS due to the horrifically cold and wet weather. After much confusion, discussion and verbal sparring, an adjustment to the parcour of the stage was eventually decided, with the Umbrailpass being cut completely from the day's racing and the riders taking on a 120ish kilometre stage in the rain instead.