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Leipheimer pulls out of Tour

By Agence France Presse
Published: Jul. 17, 2009
Leipheimer - seen here on Stage 10 - suffered a broken wrist near the finish of Stage 12.
Leipheimer - seen here on Stage 10 - suffered a broken wrist near the finish of Stage 12.
Photo: Graham Watson

American Levi Leipheimer had successful surgery on his broken wrist Friday, but said he may not be able to compete in major events again this year.

The 35-year-old American, who had been in fourth place, sustained the injury in a fall 2km from the finish line of Thursday's 12th stage of the Tour de France. He withdrew from the race Friday morning and had surgery later Friday.

"The recovery can take a while. I'm afraid I will not be able to do big races any more this year, maybe only some US events,” he said in a team statement.

The team said surgeons joined the two parts of the broken scaphoid bone with a 22mm titanium screw.

The Californian also had bruising to the right side of his back and road rashes on his right shoulder, lower back and hip.

We've lost an important option and this will motivate other teams to attack us.Johan Bruyneel

Astana team manager Johan Bruyneel said the loss of Leipheimer may force the team to rethink its tactics in the final week.

"It's definitely not a good thing," Bruyneel acknowledged. "After the crash, I thought there might be something. You hope there won't be and in the first instance we didn't think there was something broken.

"But he had a fairly bad night and we took him to hospital and saw the fracture.

"Obviously he's out and that changes a lot for us," said Bruyneel. "He was in fourth place and could have potentially won the Tour. We've lost an important option and this will motivate other teams to attack us."

Teammate Lance Armstrong said "It's a serious blow for our team. We had a nice four-headed approach there.  Twenty-five percent of it is gone now. Not only does it hurt us, it helps the others. It turns their morale. They're maybe thinking that the team is weakened. It's unfortunate but it's part of bike racing."