Haussler out of Cervélo's Tour roster due to knee injury

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Heinrich Haussler, a stage winner at the 2009 Tour de France, will not be participating in this year's Tour due to complications surrounding an existing knee injury. The 26-year-old Cervélo TestTeam rider has been plagued by knee problems since a crash in the Volta a Algarve this spring. Despite taking time for recovery, the issue continued after crashes at Paris-Nice and most recently at the Tour de Suisse.

"Heinrich's knee pain came back during the Tour de Suisse," said team doctor Andreas Goesele. "He did not finish that race in order to have some days off the bike. He felt better and everything seemed to be improving as he prepared for the Tour de France. But in the last few days the pain has come back again more intensely than before and so it was obvious to us, he could not race.

"Now we will operate and do arthroscopic surgery on him next week and after that he will start rehabilitation. We will then have to wait until after the operation before making any further statements regarding his plans for the remainder of the season."

"It is a pity that I cannot compete in the Tour de France this year," said Haussler. "I am well aware that for a Tour de France you must to be 100 percent healthy. Though my season so far has not been under a good star, I will not give up. I hold my head high looking ahead to my next goals.

"I am young and will get my chance again. My focus is now on the recovery process and we will decide later when I can make my comeback. The health has first priority and I want to be 100 percent fit before I return on the start line."

Great Britain's Daniel Lloyd will replace Haussler on Cervélo TestTeam's Tour de France roster.