Fernando Gaviria fractures his collarbone and withdraws from the Tour: the dream of Caja Rural-RGA is shattered

The 2026 Tour de France loses one of its most recognized sprinters, and Caja Rural-RGA receives a devastating blow in what was becoming one of the most special stories of this edition. Fernando Gaviria has been forced to abandon the race after suffering a fracture of his left clavicle in the fall that occurred during the sprint of the twelfth stage.

Fernando Gaviria fractures his clavicle and abandons the Tour: the great dream of Caja Rural-RGA is shattered

The Navarre team returned to the Tour this year four decades after its last participation, a historic return that had sparked enormous excitement within the team. The inclusion of a rider with Gaviria's track record raised expectations even higher, as the Colombian represented the team's best chance to fight for stage victories in the mass sprints.

The opportunity seemed particularly favorable on the twelfth day. After finishing in the top 10 in the sprint the day before, Gaviria arrived with confidence and well-positioned in the final meters of a stage designed for sprinters. However, with about 200 meters to go, a contact in the leading group triggered a pile-up in which the Colombian violently hit the asphalt on his left side.

MERLIER RESISTS EVERYTHING

The Belgian withstands the attacks from Lidl-Trek first and a nasty fall in the sprint later to secure his third victory. #TDF2026 #LaCasadelCiclismo pic.twitter.com/1faApi7QBO

— Eurosport.es (@Eurosport_ES) July 16, 2026

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Despite the heavy blow, the rider from La Ceja managed to get up and cross the finish line visibly in pain and holding his left arm. The images already raised fears of a serious injury, and after being taken to the Tour's medical center, tests confirmed the worst news: a fracture of the left clavicle, an injury that immediately ends his participation in the race.

A very hard blow for Caja Rural-RGA

Gaviria's absence represents a significant setback for Caja Rural-RGA, which had already lost the Dutchman Alex Molenaar and now sees its main reference for sprint stages disappear.

The team's sports director, Juanma Hernández, acknowledged after the diagnosis was revealed that the loss of the Colombian completely changes the objectives of the Spanish team.

“For us, it is very hard; he was one of our options. In today's stage, he could have finished among the top five.”

The withdrawal prolongs Gaviria's poor relationship with the Tour de France. In 2018, he had the best memory of his career in the French round by winning two stage victories and wearing the yellow jersey for one day, although he also had to abandon that edition before reaching Paris. In 2024, he withdrew again, and now, in 2026, a clavicle fracture prevents him from completing the race once more.

For Caja Rural-RGA, it also marks the end of one of the great hopes with which they faced this Tour. The Spanish team dreamed of celebrating their return to the French race after 40 years of absence, and with a sprinter of Fernando Gaviria's caliber, they even brushed against the possibility of fighting for a stage victory. That dream will have to wait.