Team Sky Pro Cycling today announced Geraint Thomas’ Giro d’Italia has come to an end because injuries sustained in a serious crash during Sunday’s Stage 9 have forced him to withdraw from the first Grand Tour of the year - a race that was also Thomas' main goal of the season.

The physical impact of the crash was obvious at the top of Blockhaus, where Thomas had fought back bravely to limit the time loss incurred from the crash at the bottom of the climb, and in the immediate aftermath he described the damage he had sustained to his shoulder.

Following Monday's rest day, Thomas bounced back to record a brilliant second place in Tuesday’s individual time trial. However, with the impacts of the crash taking their toll over the past two days of intensive competitive racing, the decision has been made that he will leave the Giro.

"I’ve been suffering since my crash on Sunday. I’ve had an issue with my shoulder which is manageable, but my knee has also been getting worse each day," Thomas told Roadcycling.com when asked to comment on the decision.

“Obviously it’s never nice to leave a race early, especially when it’s your main goal of the season, but I have to look at the bigger picture. I'd love to continue, but it would be a case of trying to survive each day rather than racing."

"I’ll turn my attention to the 2017 Tour de France now, and I want to arrive there with the same good form I started the Giro d'Italia with."

"It’s desperately sad for Geraint. He has worked hard to arrive here in such great condition and we were looking forward to seeing him compete," Team Sky manager Dave Brailsford said.

"As always, he has shown true fighting spirit and demonstrated what a competitor he is, but the impacts of a crash like that take their toll. We have to make sure that his injuries are managed optimally, ensure he is able to maintain his fitness and condition, and then look to set new targets."