Ryder Hesjedal鈥檚 dream of a fourth top-10 finish in five years in the Giro d鈥橧talia ended Saturday due to illness.
鈥淭oday was basically a total nightmare,鈥� said Hesjedal in a statement.
The Victoria pro cyclist abandoned the 2016 Giro midway through the 14th stage, suffering from what his Trek Segafredo team described as pharyngitis, which is inflammation of the pharynx, and tracheitis, which is inflammation of the trachea.
The 35-year-old Hesjedal, who was raised in Colwood, was in 14th place overall heading into Saturday.
He won the Giro in 2012, and finished ninth in 2014 and fifth last year.
Hesjedal has been battling the illnesses, which affect the throat and windpipe, since Monday. He kept the illnesses hidden, but could not complete Saturday鈥檚 six major climbs in what is labelled the Queen Stage of the 2016 Giro.
鈥淸This is] definitely not how I envisioned it, but it鈥檚 how it goes,鈥� said Hesjedal.
鈥淚t has already been since Monday that I wasn鈥檛 feeling very good, but every day I have been trying to get through it, and I had seemed to be getting through, so I kept pushing.鈥�
Hesjedal said in his statement that his body was not responding, and he felt 鈥減retty bad all over.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 unfortunate. I definitely don鈥檛 want to leave the Giro like this. But sometimes it鈥檚 out of your control. You can鈥檛 just make things happen if it鈥檚 not possible. I鈥檇 say a cyclist鈥檚 specialty is suffering and pushing beyond what is capable most times.鈥�
But it was not possible this time, and Hesjedal was clearly disheartened by the turn of events.
鈥淚 think it will take awhile for this to sink in,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 will try and not get too upset, but it is not easy. It鈥檚 how it goes. I will have to deal with it. Life goes on.鈥�
Hesjedal鈥檚 withdrawal occurred amid the serious mountain stages, where his noted climbing ability meant he was expected to make a big move up the overall standings.
鈥淥n a stage that is so beautiful, and what I love most about the Giro, my body didn鈥檛 co-operate with my mind,鈥� said Hesjedal.
鈥淚 wanted more than anything to do the best Giro I could for my team, family, friends and fans. As soon as I started climbing, I knew something was not right. My body didn鈥檛 work anywhere near to what it was the last few days. I was struggling to hold the wheel in my terrain.鈥�
Hesjedal said he knew his race was over when he was overcome with headaches and dizziness and when looking for a toilet became more important than looking for a gap in the peloton.
He had spoken this year about following the Giro with the Tour de France, in which he was fifth in 2010, and then racing at Rio to become a rare four-time Olympian.
His plans for the rest of the summer were not disclosed on Saturday.
