Simon Yates (open in new tab) has joined the list of riders who will abandon the Volta a Catalunya due to illness. His BikeExchange-Jayco (open in new tab) team has announced that the British rider will not start Thursday's Queen Stage of the Pyrenees, Boi Taul.

Tom Dumoulin (Jumbo-Visma) also abandoned the race on Wednesday, while Michał Kwiatkowski, Fausto Masnada, stage 1 winner Michael Matthews, and Richie Porte retired as the non-COVID-19 virus and cold swept the race.

Yates had an impressive Paris-Nice run, finishing second overall behind Primoš Roglic (Jumbo Visma), but he fell ill on Wednesday's stage to La Molina and lost any hope of victory. Yates suddenly sat down 7km from the summit finish and did not race to the finish. He finished more than 10 minutes behind.

"Simon Yates, who fell ill during yesterday's stage, will not start today's Volta a Catalunya stage 4," BikeExchange-Jayco announced via social media before the start of the 166 km stage.

"Simon was not feeling well. He came here after Paris-Nice with a minor illness unrelated to COVID-19 and still recovering.

Yates is expected to return to his home near Andorra to make a full recovery. Second overall and an attack on the final stage at the Col d'Eze made the British rider one of the favorites for the overall win in the Volta a Catalunya BikeExchange-Jayco won the first two stages with Matthews and Cayden Groves, but there are now five riders in the race. riders remain in the race.

Ben O'Connor (AG2R Citroen) took a solo victory on the third stage to La Molina, taking the overall lead in the process.

The Australian narrowly held off a select chasing group to claim victory on the decisive final 8km climb, with Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) in second place and Nairo Quintana (Alcare Sumsic) in third.

O'Connor led Ayuso by 10 seconds and Quintana by 12 seconds, with Sergio Igita (Bora-Hansgrohe) in fourth place, 16 seconds behind.