British rider Tom Pidcock has withdrawn from the Itzulia Basque Country stage race after crashing on a practice run for the opening individual time trial.
“Following consultation between our team doctor and the race medical team, Tom has been taken to a local hospital for further evaluation,” Ineos Grenadiers posted on X, external.
Pidcock, 24, came 11th in the monument Milan-Sanremo in his last race.
Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic won the stage in the Basque city of Irun.
Bora-hansgrohe rider Roglic, who won the Giro d’Italia in 2023, won the 10km time trial in 12 minutes and 34 seconds.
That was despite the 34-year-old taking the wrong path in the home straight and losing eight seconds as he turned round.
“It’s great and my legs obviously were good. I felt strong,” said Roglic.
“I made a bit of a mistake at the end, then I corrected it and luckily it was still enough.”
UAE Team Emirates rider Jay Vine of Australia finished seven seconds behind in second, with Denmark’s Mattias Skjelmose another three seconds back in third for Lidl-Trek.
Pidcok’s Ineos team-mate Ethan Hayter was the highest ranking British rider, finishing 19 seconds behind Roglic in ninth.
Tuesday’s second stage is 160km and finishes in Cambo-les-Bains in France.
The six-stage race concludes in Eibar on Saturday.