DEJECTED Chris Froome saw his Tour de France title defence ended by a third crash in two days on yesterday's fifth stage with his own personal hell coming even before he hit the cobbles used in 'The Hell of the North'.
Froome's Tour ended not in Paris on July 27, but with a premature departure home battered and bruised following an eventful two days in northern France.
After the second of two crashes on the route from Ypres to Arenberg Porte du Hinaut, Froome withdrew to his support car, with Richie Porte inheriting the leadership of Team Sky.
"Devastated to have to withdraw from this years TDF," Froome wrote on Twitter.
"Injured wrist and tough conditions made controlling my bike near to impossible.
"Thanks to the team & support staff for trying to get me through today. Wishing richie-porte & TeamSky the best for the rest of Tour!"
It has been reported Froome began the stage with a fractured left wrist, suffered when the 29-year-old Briton tumbled to the tarmac on Tuesday's fourth stage, the first on French soil following three UK stages.
He will now undergo scans to determine the full extent of his injuries and could alter his season's focus to the Vuelta a Espana, which begins in Jerez on August 23.
The Tour's fifth stage commemorated 100 years since the start of World War One and features many of the cobbles used in the Paris-Roubaix one-day race 'The Hell of the North'.
Torrential rain and wet roads only served to make the fifth stage even more challenging.
Race organisers removed two of the nine cobbled sections, but Froome's falls came prior even to the first section of cobbles he had been dreading since the route was announced last autumn.
The sad sight of Froome, dominant in winning the 2013 Tour, grimacing by the roadside was reminiscent of Sir Bradley Wiggins' withdrawal with a broken collarbone in the first week of the 2011 Tour.
Wiggins won the following year, missed the 2013 race through injury and was not selected by Team Sky in 2014.
Froome crashed early on the route before a second crash with around 70-kilometres remaining saw him end his defence.
He consulted Team Sky doctor Alan Farrell and sports director Nicolas Portal before taking his place in the back of the Team Sky car.
Team Sky principal Sir Dave Brailsford said on ITV4: "He couldn't have had a worse moment to hurt your wrist, the day before the cobbled stage."