Van den Broeck out with torn muscle

Jurgen Van Den Broeck, the surprise seventh-place finisher in the Giro d'Italia, must stop racing for six weeks to heal a torn muscle. He will thus miss the upcoming Belgian national championships.

"Apparently I injured it during the Giro," the 26 year-old Silence-Lotto rider told the Gazet van Antwerpen. "I had cramps during the first real mountain stage and that is probably when it happened. Thursday I will have another examination to see how big the tear is."

Van den Broeck can continue to ride but may not race. He is expected to participate in the Österreich Rundfahrt and the Ronde van het Waals Gewest as preparation for the Beijing Olympics.