dygert Battles Through Illness and Recurring Leg Issues, Withdraws from Tour de France Femmes
American cyclist Chloe Dygert, riding for Canyon-SRAM, made the difficult decision to withdraw from the final stage of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, citing a combination of illness and ongoing leg problems. While a disappointing end to her race, Dygert demonstrated resilience and a commitment to her team throughout the challenging event.
This isn’t the first time Dygert has faced setbacks in this race.Last year, she also abandoned on the final stage due to similar leg pain, a problem that has plagued her as a meaningful crash in September 2020.
A Grueling Climb and a Panic Attack
The decisive moment came on the Col de la Madeleine, a notoriously difficult climb. Dygert described a harrowing experience as she struggled to maintain pace.
“When everybody started passing me like I was standing still,I thought ‘there’s no way I’m making time cut,'” she recounted.”Then,about 10km from the top,I started having a full-on panic attack.”
The physical and emotional toll was immense. Dygert battled crying, panic, and excruciating leg pain, compounded by a lingering head cold and stomach issues.”I couldn’t hear anymore, my ears were clogged because I’m still sick and it was not a good time,” she explained.
Understanding the Recurring Leg Pain
Dygert detailed the nature of her leg problems, describing a constant, debilitating sensation.
“I have a bit of a head cold, then I have stomach problems wiht going to the bathroom multiple times a day. And then my leg, it’s the normal spasming, muscle tightening and it feels like you’re being hit by something really hard,” she said. “It just feels like that constantly, it never goes away and it gets worse. There was just no relief going uphill for that long.”
This recurring issue has forced her to abandon multiple races, and she acknowledges the frustration of continually facing this challenge. “Pretty much every race I’ve pulled out of has been because of my leg,” she admitted. “And again, it’s not ideal and I feel really bad that I have to do it. But when it comes to my leg, I just can’t risk that.”
A Valuable Teammate Despite the Setback
Despite her withdrawal, Dygert’s contribution to the Canyon-SRAM team shouldn’t be overlooked. She arrived at the Tour de France Femmes focused on training and supporting team leader Kasia Niewiadoma.
she successfully fulfilled that role, demonstrating strength and dedication throughout the race. “I came here with the mindset of getting some really good training in and being a great teammate as best as I could, and I’m really happy that I could fulfill that role,” dygert stated. “So I’m happy with the Tour and I can be content with my decision today as hard as it is.”
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