Fédrigo hit with Lyme disease

Pierrick Fédrigo's poor showing in his first season with FDJ has been explained by Lyme disease from a tick bite. Aside from a second place at GP de Plumelec-Morbihan, the 32-year-old Frenchman has been absent from the podium this year. He has been frustrated in his inability to achieve his season's goals, which included a repeat of his success in 2010 which included overall victory at the Critérium International plus a Tour de France stage win.

According to L'Equipe, FDJ team doctor Gérard Guillaume explained that the bacterial infection was the cause of Fédrigo's fatigue. The 2005 French champion and three-time Tour de France stage winner is being treated with antibiotics and should be set to compete in the Polynormandie on July 31.

Last month, Fédrigo was uncharacteristically dropped during the road championships in Boulogne-sur-Mer on a course which would normally have suited him. He begged out of the Tour de France for the first time in eight years, and was despondent about his lack of form.