French cyclist Ronan Auge was placed in a medically induced coma following a serious crash on the sixth stage of the 30th Le Tour de Langkawi in Malaysia, with his team confirming his condition is stable and not life-threatening.
The eight-stage race, staged on the western side of the Malaysian mainland, required his immediate transport to a hospital in Kuala Lumpur. The 22-year-old French rider suffered a severe accident shortly after the start of the Pandan Indah-Rembau route during the UCI ProSeries event.
Team Reports Stable Condition After Crash
Joram Grootveld, sports director for the Unibet Rose Rockets, explained that the incident occurred at the beginning of stage six.
“There was a big accident yesterday at the start of the race. It was serious enough that he needed to be taken to the hospital immediately.”
Joram Grootveld, Unibet Rose Rockets sports director
Medical staff maintain round-the-clock watch as the sprint specialist recovers from multiple broken bones sustained in the impact. Grootveld confirmed the team maintains close contact with the doctors treating him in Malaysia.
“Our team doctor is with him and they have put him under medical sedation to ensure his condition remains stable.”
Joram Grootveld, Unibet Rose Rockets sports director
Grootveld told reporters after the conclusion of Stage Seven from Melaka to Batu Pahat that the team must take matters step by step as recovery progresses, while emphasizing that the rider is in good hands.
Auge Out of Race After Strong Start
Auge was sitting third in the sprint classification with 14 points prior to the incident and had narrowly missed the podium with a fourth-place finish during Stage 3.
Unibet Rose Rockets held second place in the standings with a total time of 74’49:54 over seven completed stages, sitting just over three minutes behind leaders Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, who amassed a total time of 74’46:21.
The final Stage Eight covers 188.3km from Muar to Putrajaya, deciding the ultimate winner of that battle. Over the course of the final race, the peloton will face three sprints located in Simpang Ampat, Seremban, and Nilai, alongside one climb in Bukit Mantin.