Boise High grad forced to leave Tour de France. He just had his best finish yet
A promising second appearance at the Tour de France was cut short for Boise High graduate Matteo Jorgenson, who pulled out of cycling’s premier race Monday with an injury.
“After coming down in the massive crash on Sunday, I felt a very familiar pain in my right hamstring,” Jorgenson wrote Monday on Instagram. “An ultrasound yesterday showed I have a very similar tear behind my knee as I had on the opposite leg after a crash in Paris-Nice last year.
“From experience, I know that continuing to race through the pain of an injury like this makes no sense and will require weeks to months off the bike to heal.”
Jorgenson, 24, was one of the top Americans to watch at the Tour de France, according to several publications. He withdrew from the race after 15 stages while sitting in 48th place, second among all riders from the U.S.
He earned his first podium finish at the Tour de France last Thursday, taking third in Roanne. He also threatened to win a stage July 9, leading for most of the day before running out of gas on a mountain climb and finishing fourth.
Jorgenson finished 20th overall at the Tour de France in his debut last year, fourth among all Americans. He recorded his first pro victory in February at the Tour of Oman.
