AX-LES-THERMES -- Frenchman
Christophe Moreau abandoned the Tour de France on Friday because
of a chest problem, his team director said.
The Festina rider, who finished fourth in the overall
standings last year, won the individual time trial prologue in
Dunkirk on July 7 and had been the leading hope for a first
French victory in the race since 1985.
He was running sixth in the overall standings this year
going into the 12th stage from Perpignan to Ax-les-Thermes.
But shortly after the start of the race he was dropped by
the peloton and although three teammates attempted to shepherd
him back into the pack he decided to abandon.
"Moreau has been sick since Sunday," Festina's sporting
director Yvon Sanquer said. "The cold and rain gave him a
problem with his chest and he's been taking antibiotics.
"We thought he was over it and he trained on Thursday (the
rest day) for 90 minutes.
"He had problems on the Col de Jau, though, and he told me
he had nothing in his legs."
Moreau is the second pre-race fancy to abandon the Tour,
following the departure of Italy's Francesco Casagrande nine
days ago.
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