COLMAR, France -- Lance Armstrong teammate Christian Vande
Velde was forced to quit the Tour de France on Saturday after
breaking his left forearm in a crash on a slippery road.
He was to leave the hospital Saturday and spend the night in his
team hotel in Kaysersberg, team spokeswoman Sophie Boulet said. She
described Armstrong as "very unhappy" about what happened.
Vande Velde was 58th in the overall standings before the seventh
stage. The 25-year-old American rider crashed into a metal post
about two hours after the start of the 101-mile stage from
Strasbourg to Colmar near the German border.
The accident occurred in a downhill ride after the Col de Fouchy
pass in the Vosges mountains. Light rain had been falling
throughout the afternoon.
Vande Velde got back on his bike and continued riding for a few
more minutes but soon stopped. He crashed two days ago during the
team time trial, bringing down teammate Roberto Heras.
Vande Velde's withdrawal leaves eight riders on the team. The
three-week race ends July 29 in Paris.
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