Wilco Kelderman suffered a hard crash during a descent in the first stage of the Tour de France. The Dutchman is reported to have fallen on his left side, suffering injuries to his elbow, shoulder, thigh and knee, but is doing okay considering the circumstances.
NBC's motorbike reporter Christian Vande Velde found the fallen Kelderman, who, according to the American, went down in a descent. This won’t make for a pleasant night for the Dutchman, especially with temperatures around 35 degrees Celsius. After a visit to the doctor, Kelderman was able to return to the peloton later, with bandages on his left elbow and shoulder.
The American reported that Kelderman primarily fell on his shoulder, but at first glance, considering he continued the stage, there doesn’t appear to be any fractures. A definitive diagnosis will follow after the stage, though sports director Merijn Zeeman told NOS that Kelderman is okay under the circumstances.
Kelderman was added to the Tour team as a replacement for Dylan van Baarle and/or Steven Kruijswijk, after being sidelined for three months due to a collarbone fracture sustained in Paris-Nice.
More details soon!