Radio Shack-Leopard announced today (Friday, June 7, 2013) that due to surgery for a IT band issue Chris Horner will not be riding the Tour de France next month, according to a story on VeloNews.
The team said that Horner will not be able to take the start in Corsica on June 29, as he recovers from his knee operation from two weeks ago. Horner has suffered from iliotibial (IT) band friction syndrome since the end of Tirreno-Adriatico. . . Horner has completed the Tour five times, and withdrawn once, in 2011, after a hard crash and a concussion. His best finish of ninth place came in 2010 and the American, popular for his affable nature and spot-on summation of racing tactics, finished 13th last year.
Hopefully, this means he’ll be coming on a few more of our group rides. But really, by the time Tour starts, who will be left?
For a more complete interview with Horner regarding his injury, click here for the VeloNation story.
[Link: VeloNews and VeloNation]