Tour de France 2014: Former winner Andy Schleck ruled out of Tour after injuring his knee in London crash

Schleck crashed twice on Monday, but despite hitting a spectator in the second accident it was the first that has ruled him out of the Tour

Andy Schleck of Luxembourg and Trek Factory Racing signs in at the start of the 100th edition of the Liege-Bastogne-Liege road race on April 27, 2014 in Liege, Belgium (Getty Images)

The Tour de France will be a rider lighter from today onwards, after Trek Factory Racing’s Andy Schleck was forced to withdraw from the race due to injury.

Schleck, a former winner of the Tour just four years ago pulled out on the morning of Tuesday’s Stage 4 to Lille, following the lingering effects of a crash suffered on the outskirts of London yesterday.

“We are sad to announce that Andy Schleck cannot take the in the Tour today. The ligaments and meniscus are too damaged from his crash in yesterday’s finale,” said his team in a statement issued on Twitter.

Schleck fell twice during yesterday’s stage from Cambridge into London. First he collided with a fellow rider 27km from the finish; then he hit a spectator and went tumbling. But it was the first incident that caused the majority of his injuries.

This is just the latest setback for the Luxembourger in a career that was considered brilliant as recently as three years ago, when he finished as runner-up in the 2011 Tour de France. He came into the 2014 Tour expecting to support brother Frank in the mountains, and performed well on Sunday’s tough stage to Sheffield.

He will now travel to Basel for “examination and a possible operation,” according to his team.