CAGNES-SUR-MER, France (AP) — “Crying on the inside,” American rider Ted King fought back tears on July 3 as the Tour de France peloton rode away without him, because he was too injured to complete the previous stage in regulation time.
Some other riders felt race regulators were overzealous in excluding the Cannondale rider and Middlebury College graduate for being a fraction too slow in the team time trial.
“Rules are rules but it is a little bit tough, isn’t it?’” said Richie Porte of Team Sky. “It does seem rough.”
“I’m shredded,” said King. To compound his misery, the exclusion came as his parents were arriving in France to cheer him at what had been his first Tour.
Cannondale said King missed the cut by just seven seconds even though he could not ride a conventional racing bike. July 2’s team race against the clock on a 25-kilometer (15.5-mile) course through Nice, won by the Orica GreenEdge team, was the fastest in Tour history, which made it harder for King to keep up.
King said he separated his left shoulder and got nasty grazes in a crash on Stage 1. That was about 12 kilometers (seven miles) from the finish and before a pile-up that took out other riders, said Cannondale spokesman Paolo Barbieri.
Cannondale said its managers appealed without success to the race jury to allow him to continue.
“I would have hoped for more empathy given the scenario,” said King. “I’m not looking for generosity, I’m not looking for a hug from (race organizers) ASO, I’m looking for some empathy, some understanding.”
King’s shoulder was too sore for him to ride his slick and quick time-trial bike on Tuesday, so he had to race on a less aerodynamic road bike instead.
“I knew I was going to be suffering. I can’t yank on the bars as a result of the shoulder,” he said. “I’m crying on the inside right now. I’ve already cried a few times.”
On Twitter, people posted messages of support with the hashtag LetTedRide.
“It’s been tremendously heartwarming, and the support has been phenomenal,” said King.