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Leukemans sorry to end Tour early

By Cycling News

published 23 July 2011

Vacansoleil rider was “empty” on Alpine stages

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Björn Leukemans (Vacansoleil-DCM) finished third overall.(Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)

Bjorn Leukemans on the podium, still sporting some Paris-Roubaix road rash(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Bjorn Leukemans(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Bjorn Leukemans has finished his first and most likely last Tour de France. The Vacansoleil-DCM rider missed the time limit on Friday's stage which finished atop the Alpe d'Huez, crossing the line over half an hour behind winner Pierre Rolland of Europcar.

Three times the bad luck for Leukemans in Paris-Roubaix

Leukemans rides frustrations away in Brabantse Pijl

The gruppetto containing green jersey Mark Cavendish, amongst others, finished outside the time limit on the past two stages, but the race jury allowed them to stay in the race.

However, on Friday, the jury was not as merciful to Leukemans, who finished nearly eight minutes over the limit, while the gruppetto was only 20 seconds down.

"Sorry, but unfortunately it ends here," said Leukemans, according to Sportwereld. be. "Today I had my worst day of this race. Right from the first climb I was alone. I saw a group of twenty riders ahead of me, but I couldn't catch up.

“With Contador going so fast and my very bad legs, it was basically the start of an impossible thing. Once I was alone, I knew enough. The vessel was empty. "

Leukemans had previously said that he did not want to ride the Tour again, as it did not suit his abilities.