TIGNES, France -- The Tour de France lost a contender when Australian Michael Rogers of the T-Mobile team pulled out
Sunday with what was reported as a right shoulder injury.
Rogers, who started the race as team leader, crashed some 50
kilometers from the finish of the eighth stage, a 165-km trek from Le
Grand-Bornand to Tignes. He crashed into a guardrail as he was descending the Col de Roselend, the first of three Category 1 climbs in the stage.
Rogers managed to get back on his bike but was forced to retire
in tears with 29 km remaining.
T-Mobile, which took the yellow jersey on Saturday thanks to
German Linus Gerdemann, is now down to seven men after
Mark Cavendish of Britain pulled out earlier in the stage.
Australian Stuart
O'Grady of the CSC team also pulled out during Stage 8 after crashing and was
taken to a hospital in Moutiers in an ambulance.
"He has complained of severe back pain and will undergo
further examinations in the hospital," organizers said.
Reuters contributed to this report.