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Garmin-Sharp rider Andrew Talansky has been forced to withdraw from the Tour de France after back and hip injuries got the better of him.
Talansky, who won the traditional Tour warm-up the Criterium du Dauphine in June and was hoping for a podium finish, suffered a series of heavy crashes in the first 10 stages and his fitness issues came to a head in Oyonnax on Wednesday.
He dropped back midway along the stage, left by his team-mates who pressed ahead without him, and slumped to the roadside as he fought back tears.
He eventually opted to finish the stage in last place, almost 12 minutes behind the previous finisher, but has now accepted the inevitable.
"I'm absolutely heartbroken to leave the Tour de France," said the American. "I built my season around the Tour and the team has supported me every step of the way.
Show all 53 1 /53The best images from the 2014 Tour de France The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 21 Vincenzo Nibali poses on the podium after winning the Tour de France
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 21 Germany's Marcel Kittel celebrates as he crosses the finish line on the final stage of the Tour de France
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 21 Vincenzo Nibali on the final stage of the Tour de France
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 21 Vincenzo Nibali rides into Paris on the final stage of the 2014 Tour de France
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 20 Pedal power: Vincenzo Nibali heads for fourth place in the time trial
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 19 Lithuania's Ramunas Navardauskas celebrates as he crosses the finish line at the end of the 208.5 km nineteenth stage of the 101st edition of the Tour de France
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 18 Vincenzo Nibali celebrates a fourth stage win on this year's Tour after clinching stage 18
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 18 Vincenzo Nibali leads the leading pack up the Hautacam
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 18 The peloton sets off through the streets of Pau at the start of the 18th stage
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 17 Rafal Majka celebrates victory as he crosses the line on stage 17
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 16 Matteo Montaguti of Italy and AG2R La Mondiale makes the descent of the Port de Bales
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 16 Fans in (presumably) fancy dress watch the Tour
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 16 Michael Rogers takes a bow as he claims victory on stage 16 of the Tour
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 15 Norway's Alexander Kristoff celebrates as he crosses the finish line
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 14 Rafal Majka wins stage 14 of the 2014 Tour de France
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 13 Vincenzo Nibali celebrates stage 13 victory of the Tour de France
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 13 Rafal Majka suffers on one of the climb that stage 13 poses the riders
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 13 Vincenzo Nibali on his way to victory on stage 13 of the Tour de France
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 12 Norway's Alexander Kristoff (C) celebrates as he crosses the finish line at the end of the 185.5 km twelfth stage of the 101st edition of the Tour de France cycling race on July 17, 2014
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 11 France's Tony Gallopin (front) sprints to secure his victory
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 11 France's Tony Gallopin celebrates as he crosses the finish line
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage 10 Alberto Contador suffers a crash on stage 10 of the 2014 Tour de France
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Nine Frenchman Tony Gallopin puts on the yellow jersey
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Nine Tony Martin wins stage nine
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Eight Blel Kadri celebrates winning stage eight of the Tour de France
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Seven Matteo Trentin edges out Peter Sagan in a photo-finish to win the seventh stage of the Tour de France in Nancy
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Seven Andrew Talansky of the United States and Garmin-Sharp crashes in the sprint to the finish line in stage seven
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Six Germany's Andre Greipel crosses the finish line to win the sixth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 194 kilometers (120.5 miles) with start in Arras and finish in Reims, France
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Six Italy's Vincenzo Nibali (L) wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey speaks with Austria's Bernhard Eisel as they ride in the pack during the 194 km sixth stage
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Five Lars Boom of Holland cross the finish line to take stage five victory
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Five Chris Froome pulls out of the Tour de France after just five days of competition
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Five Chris Froome suffers his first crash on stage five, his second accident in two days
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Four Chris Froome continued on stage four, but was showing the effects of the crash he suffered early on
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Four Spain's Alberto Contador (L) and Britain's Christopher Froome (C) ride in the pack during the 155 km third stage of the 101st edition of the Tour de France
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Three Germany's Marcel Kittel celebrates as he crosses the finish line at the end of the 155 km third stage of the 101st edition of the Tour de France
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Three Cycling fans await the riders on The Mall
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Two Italy's Vincenzo Nibali celebrates as he crosses the finish line at the end of the 201 km second stage of the 101th edition of the Tour de France cycling race on July 6, 2014 between York and Sheffield
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Two Overnight leader Marcel Kittel struggled on the second stage with a crash and a puncture
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Two The pack rides during the 201 km second stage of the 101th edition of the Tour de France cycling race on July 6, 2014 between York and Sheffield
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage Two Britain's Christopher Froome arrives for the signature ceremony prior to the beginning of the 201 km second stage of the 101th edition of the Tour de France
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage One Cycling fans line The Headrow in Leeds ahead of the Grand Depart
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage One People arrive in Leeds ahead of the Grand Depart
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage One People arrive in Leeds ahead of the Grand Depart
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage One People arrive in Leeds ahead of the Grand Depart
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage One York Minster prepared for the Tour with a jersey banner and "allez" written in flowers
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage One Cycling fans line the streets of Leeds
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage One The tour caravan sets off ahead of the Grand Depart
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage One Yorkshire riders say 'bonjour' to Le Tour in Leeds
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage One Spectators arrive by bike and on foot to watch in the village of Reeth, Yorkshire.
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage One Sprinters Mark Cavendish, second left, and Germany's Andre Greipel, right, shake hands as Britain's Christopher Froome, second right, waits for the start
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage One Spain's Alberto Contador, left, Mark Cavendish and Christopher Froome lead the pack during the ceremonial procession ahead of the start
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Stage One The race leaves the start for stage one of the 2014 Tour de France
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The best images from the 2014 Tour de France Day One Mark Cavendish and Chris Froome (front) lead the Grand Depart at the ceremonial start of The Tour De France
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"I had hoped the rest day would allow some time to recover from my crashes. I was hopeful that I could get through (on Wednesday) and I tried to be there for the team, the way they have been there for me this whole time.
"But it proved to be too much. I wanted the team to keep up the fight for the stage and, in turn for them, I wanted to fight to the finish.
"I'll go home now and rest and recover but I will be watching from there and cheering for my team every day."
A team statement from Garmin-Sharp read: "Andrew came into this Tour in excellent condition. He has been suffering the effects of some very heavy crashes.
"We are proud of his ride yesterday, of his tenacity and his courage. He was determined to finish the stage, no matter how far back he was, and he gave the nod to his team-mates to go with the plan of going for the stage.
"He wanted them to ride for it and he wanted to finish for them. That's the heart of a champion."
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