Australian Tour de France hope Ben O'Connor joins Jack Haig in abandoning the race due to injury.
However, after starting this year's ninth stage with the sole aim of finishing and in obvious pain, the AG2R Citroën leader has called time on his challenge."It's like pedalling with one leg."
"I fought it yesterday, I really wanted to see if I can get past this point of pain [but] it's just too much.O'Connor came into the race a genuine podium chance, having finished inHowever, after his spectacular debut last year, this Tour has been the very definition of a tough second album, plagued by a litany of issues.
After losing a minute on the opening stage time trial, O'Connor was caught up in a crash on stage two — although he lost no time.On the cobbles of stage five he lost four minutes to his general classification rivals, before limping through to the race's second rest day at the back of the peloton, often seen talking with his team car and motioning to his left buttock.
O'Connor entered the rest day in 86th place overall, 49 minutes and 42 seconds behind race leader, Tadej Pogačar, with his AG2R Citroën team deciding it was no use risking him further.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Wout van Aert takes another Tour de France stage after Wright is reeled inBritain’s Fred Wright led a breakaway on stage eight, but was caught in the closing stages on a day that made little difference to the overall standings
Read more »
Tour de France 2022: stage nine from Aigle to Châtel – live!The latest as Le Tour travels 193km from Aigle to Châtel in a mountainous, Alpine stage, with Tom Davies as your guide
Read more »
Battling Bob Jungels wins Tour de France stage but Pogacar keeps leadThe Luxembourger Bob Jungels missed the 2021 Tour and Tokyo Olympics with endofibrosis but UAE Team Emirates’ Tadej Pogacar leads overall by 39 seconds
Read more »
Jungels takes Tour stage in breakaway as Pogačar keeps leadBob Jungels crowns comeback from injury with breakthrough Tour de France stage win on the first Alpine finish of this year's race, while Tadej Pogačar maintains his overall lead and Australia's Ben O'Connor struggles on.
Read more »
Club under fire after pregnant star's axing claimA pregnant Queensland Firebirds star has hit her club with a stinging accusation. 9WWOS Netball
Read more »
Michael Klim shares devastating health battle with ‘incredibly rare’ disorderSwimming legend Michael Klim is facing his biggest battle yet with the 44-year-old diagnosed with an incurable and debilitating auto-immune disorder. 7NEWS
Read more »