Gerben Löwik (Rabobank) was forced to leave the Tour de France before the start of Stage 14, suffering from a saddle sore. His team decided on the evening of the 13th stage that it would not be sensible to ride through the Pyrenees with the injury, and Löwik was already on his way home on Saturday morning. Rabobank can still count on eight riders, including second on GC Michael Rasmussen, even if former captain Denis Menchov is still suffering from a sore throat.
