Paul Lapeira becomes first rider to abandon at the 2023 Giro d'Italia

AG2R Citroen Team's Paul Lapeira has become the first rider to abandon the 2023 Giro d'Italia, stepping off his bike after being dropped during a frantic beginning to stage 4.

Lapeira was actually the King of the Mountains jersey wearer earlier on in the race, after the 22-year-old Frenchman was part of the breakaway on stage 2 and took the maximum points available in the King of the Mountains classification.

Just a couple of days after his escapade in the breakaway saw him onto the post-stage podium, Lapeira has now stepped off his bike and called it a day. During a frantic, stressful opening to the stage, Lapeira was almost immediately put into difficulty.

Although it is currently unclear whether an unknown illness or injury may have played it's part in Lapeira calling it a day clearly something was troubling the young Frenchman.