The US-based cycling team that started the Tour de France with four cyclists aiming for the podium is now down to just one — Levi Leipheimer, left.
Andreas Kloden withdrew from the Tour de France early in the race on Friday, suffering from injuries he received in a crash the day before when he had risen to 8th overall in the standings, just 2:43 behind the leader.
The 36-year-old German cyclist had finished 2nd in the Tour de France in 2004 and 6th in 2009.
This year he was one of four that RadioShack had picked as potential team leaders. Others were Leipheimer, American Chris Horner and Slovenian Janez Brajkovic.
Brajkovic abandoned in Stage 5 from injuries suffered in a crash, and Horner didn't start Stage 8 after suffering a concussion in a fall. Further, Yaroslav Popovych didn't start Stage 10.
That leaves RadioShack one of the most decimated teams in the Tour, with just five cyclists remaining. Leipheimer himself has crashed a number of times, but is still in the game in 17th place, 7:51 behind the leaders.
The highest placed RadioShack cyclist is Haimar Zubeldia in 15th place, 7:17 behind the leaders.
Let's hope RadioShack can come away with something in this year's Tour.
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