Dutch rider Robert Gesink, who fell during the opening stage of the Giro d'Italia, has been forced to retire from the race due to a “small fracture” in his hand, his Visma-lease a bike team announced on Sunday.
Gesink, 37, who is expected to retire at the end of the season, fell with around 30km to go on Saturday, making him the first rider to retire from this year's Giro.
He joins a long injury list in the Dutch squad, whose leader at the Giro is now the young Belgian Cian Uijtdebroeks.
The 21-year-old finished on Saturday 10 seconds behind the winner, Jhonatan Narvaez, and the event's overwhelming favourite, Tadej Pogacar.
The riders face their first major test in Sunday's second stage, 161km of racing which starts in San Francesco al Campo and ends with a climb to the Sanctuary of Oropa.