With two stage wins for Nacer Bouhanni, FDJ have had a highly successful Vuelta a Espana but now their fortunes have changed. After Nacer Bouhanni withdrew from the race on Saturday, Anthony Roux crashed out yesterday, leaving just 4 riders from the French team in the race.

FDJ have had a Vuelta a Espana with lots o highs and lows. Nacer Bouhanni proved to be the fastest rider in the race and won two stages before a crash forced him out of the race yesterday.

Thibaut Pinot never recovered from his illness and left the race earlier this week while Murilo Fischer and Kenny Elissonde both abandoned due to fatigue. Yesterday the team lost their fifth rider when Anthony Roux crashed.

"The peloton was riding single file at very high speed," sports director Franck Pineau explaind. "A rider suffered a puncture in the right-hand side of the road. Anthony was looking away and was surprised at the very last moment. He swerved and hit a plastic cone. He was the first rider to crash, causing other riders to hit the deck too. His abandonment, given his injuries, was inevitable."

Back from the hospital Sunday night, Anthony was diagnosed with a double fracture of the left clavicle, a fracture of the right metacarpal and various bruises, especially in the back.

"On Monday, he will return to Nancy," Pineau said. "He will undergo surgery for his broken collarbone in Nancy. With Nacer's withdrawal on Saturday, we only have four riders left. This is a little hard but it is remarkable.

"On Sunday, Johan Le Bon on Sunday attacked a lot to join a breakaway. Four times. The right move went in the fifth attack. Without him. And the stage winner, Polish Niemiec came from that break. 

"On Monday we have the third day in the mountains and then we will make the most of the rest day to prepare for this third week. This Vuelta is the demonstration that in a season there are very good times and very bad ones as well."