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'Had to take a dump': Cyclist's embarrassing bathroom break

Tom Dumoulin's progress in the Giro d'Italia came to an unexpected halt during stage 16, as he stopped on the side of the road for an impromptu toilet break.

Dumoulin went into Tuesday's stage in possession of the leader's pink jersey, but found himself playing catch up to his general classification rivals after he got off his bike to relieve his apparent discomfort.

The Dutchman stripped down his kit in order to answer the call of nature, but his stoppage proved to be a particularly untimely one.

When you have to go! Image: Eurosport
When you have to go! Image: Eurosport

His GC rivals Nairo Quintana, Thibaut Pinto and Vincenzo Nibali quickly gained a minute and a half on Dumoulin, and he could be left to rue one of the more bizarre moments in this year's race.

"I needed to take a 'dump'," Dumoulin explained afterwards.

"I could not hold it any more."

Dumoulin was left fuming when he rivals took advantage to launch an attack.

Dumoulin finished more than two minutes back but maintained a 31 second lead over Quintana, while Nibali moved up from fourth to third overall, 1:12 behind.

"I started to feel it in the downhill of the Stelvio and I had to stop," a dejected-looking Dumoulin said.

"Back on the bike I decided to fight and draw conclusions after the finish. I'm still in the 'maglia rosa' but I'm very disappointed."

with agencies