British cyclist Adam Yates was forced to retire from the UAE Tour after suffering a concussion following a nasty crash in which he slammed head-first into the tarmac.

The 31-year-old was crashed on the run-in to the final climb of the third stage on Wednesday with 47kilometres remaining, when his rear wheel appeared to be clipped by another rider while in the peloton.

Yates slammed into the tarmac at speed and while the rest of the peloton managed to avoid him, he was visibly shaken as he got back to his feet.

Despite the heavy crash, the UAE Team Emirates rider was allowed back on the bike and continued until midway through the climb, before stopping to retire with approximately 10km left.

Speaking after the finish, Yates' teammate Jay Vine revealed the Briton did not remember crashing.

'He doesn't remember hitting the ground, so our thoughts are with him,' Vine, who placed second on Wednesday to take the lead in the race, said.

'It's not the way you want to see one of your teammates leave the bike race.'

Under UCI's - world cycling's governing body - rules, riders have to be assessed for concussions following a crash.

The medical protocol, which was implemented in 2020, outlines a number of key steps teams should follow in the event of a major crash.

Riders should be checked for any ‘observable signs of concussion’ such as unconsciousness to a ‘blank or vacant look’.

Memory tests, mental examinations and a rapid screen of the spine and neck are mandatory steps to follow during a roadside assessment.

The protocol also notes that a 'delayed recall should be performed after five minutes have elapsed since the end of the Immediate Recall section.'

On Wednesday, Yates briefly spoke to one of UAE Team Emirates directors before getting back on the bike following his crash.

The team later said its directors had not seen any footage of the crash when they assisted the Briton and later confirmed Yates had been diagnosed with concussion.

'Unfortunately, Adam Yates has been diagnosed with a concussion after his crash today at the UAE Tour,' the team announced on social media.

'He is stable with other superficial injuries. For the sake of Adam's health, and as per concussion protocols, he was withdrawn from racing.

'He will need recovery, and the medical team will continue with neurological monitoring and rehab going forward.'

Yates won the Tour of Oman earlier this month and was one of the favouites at the UAE Tour, which he won in 2020 and finished second to Tadej Pogacar in 2021 and 2022.