Van Garderen Pulls out of Paris-Nice on first stage
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AFP/Yuzuru Sunada
March 09, 2014 – American cyclist Tejay Van Garderen failed to justify his position as one of the favorites for the Paris-Nice stage race when he retired from the first stage on Sunday. The 25-year-old, who was fifth in the 2012 Tour de France, pulled out after 71 kilometers of the 162.5km stage. Van Garderen had come into the race on the back of a fine runners-up placing behind reigning Tour de France champion Chris Froome in the Tour of Oman.
The race had already been hit by the withdrawal of defending champion Richie Porte, the Australian being switched to the Tirreno-Adriatico race when his Sky team-mate Froome pulled out with a back injury.