It is a difficult year for French sprinter Nacer Bouhanni. The Cofidis, solutions crédits leader dislocated his elbow in a crash at the Vuelta a Espana. In July, he had to leave the Tour de France because of a strong crash. But he is still holding out on rainbow jersey dreams next month in Richmond.

"I’ve crashed this year more than any other season since the start of my career," Bouhanni told L’Equipe. "At least nothing’s broken. I will be off the bike a few days, and hopefully return as quickly as possible. My season is not over. There are still the world championships. They hit me from behind, and I fell on my right side. I couldn’t move my arm, and I could see the bone sticking out from the elbow. Doctors reinserted my elbow, and X-rays didn’t reveal any broken bones.”

Even if he is unlucky, he's still managed to win nine times this year. He won two stages at the Critérium du Dauphiné in June and two stages at the Tour de l’Ain in his comeback from the Tour crash in August.