Will Dugan leaves Tour of California with head injury

MODESTO, Calif. (VN) — Will Dugan will not start Wednesday’s stage 4 in the Amgen Tour of California. Dugan (Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis) suffered a head injury in a crash late in stage 3 and a team spokesperson told VeloNews that he would return home to Vermont to recover.

Team Type 1 manager Vassili Davidenko said Wednesday morning that a review of the crash and cognitive tests led the team to withdraw their young American.

“Will Dugan is a great young rider and came down ready to start, but after reviewing the crash on video and undergoing test from our team doctor, it’s in his best interest to withdraw from the race, rest a few days and get ready for the national championships in Greenville,” said Davidenko. “We’re disappointed and so is Will, but for his health this is the right decision.”

Team Type 1 press officer Chris Baldwin would not confirm that Dugan had suffered a concussion, but did say that the injury he suffered put him at heightened risk in the instance of a second injury.

“The crash was high-speed in the final kilometers,” said team doctor, Mark Greve. “There was no trauma to Will, but he took a serious knock and after advanced neuropsychological testing there’s no way the rider can continue to the end of the Amgen Tour.”