Tejay van Garderen (BMC)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tejay van Garderen struggles during stage 17 of the Tour de France before eventually abandoning.(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tejay van Garderen struggles during stage 17 of the Tour de France before eventually abandoning.(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tejay van Garderen struggles during stage 17 of the Tour de France before eventually abandoning.(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
BMC try and keep van Garderen in contact during stage 17.(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tejay van Garderen (BMC)
Tejay van Garderen (BMC)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tejay van Garderen tries to limit his losses during stage 14.(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Tejay van Garderen (BMC)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
American Tejay van Garderen abandoned the Tour de France on stage 17 after falling ill. The BMC rider lost contact on the 161km stage from Digne-les-Bains to Pra-Loup.
He had been sitting in third place overall, 3:32 behind race leader Chris Froome (Sky) and just 22 seconds behind Movistar's Nairo Quintana. On the first climb of the day, however, it became clear that something was wrong as van Garderen slipped behind on the category 3 Col des Lèques.
The American was seen back at the medical car as he trailed some two minutes behind the maillot jaune group.
A slowing in the main peloton and a descent from the Col de Touts Aures allowed van Garderen to rejoin the group of race favourites, but an attack by Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) sent him out the back once more.
The category 2 Col de la Colle proved to be the end of the road for van Garderen, and he signalled to his team car to stop.
It is the first time in his career that he abandoned a Grand Tour.
The third place spot now goes to Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).
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