• Tour de France

Giro champion pulls out of Tour de France

ESPN staff
July 7, 2012
Ryder Hesjedal lost over 13 minutes in Friday's crash © Getty Images
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Ryder Hesjedal, this year's Giro d'Italia champion, has announced that he is withdrawing from the Tour de France.

The Garmin-Sharp rider was injured in a nasty crash during Friday's sixth stage, losing over 13 minutes, and has opted to miss the rest of the race in order to ensure his fitness for London 2012.

"It's very disappointing to leave the Tour this way. I was in good form and feeling comfortable, just really settling into the first week with an eye on the mountains," Hesjedal said.

"I'll go home, keep working with the medical staff on my recovery, and refocus everything on the Olympics."

Oscar Freire, Wouter Poels, Tom Danielson, Davide Vigano and MIkel Astarloza have all cut short their involvement in the Tour following a series of crashes.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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