Andy Schleck to miss Tour

Andy Schleck, winner of the 2010 Tour de France via Alberto Contador’s two-year suspension, will miss the 2012 edition due to injury. Schleck crashed in the fourth stage of the Criterium Dauphiné and withdrew two stages later. Closer examinations of his injury revealed that he’s fractured his pelvis.

Schleck was already in the midst of a disappointing season in which he struggled to find form. The Luxembourger withdrew from the spring stage races Paris-Nice and Volta a Catalunya and never distinguished himself only fleetingly afterwards. Both he and brother Frank have been clashing with their RadioShack-Nissan manager Johan Bruyneel as well.

The Tour now looks to be largely a contest between Brit Bradley Wiggins (Sky) and current title holder Cadel Evans (Australia/BMC) with Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Liquigas), Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Belgium/Lotto-Belisol), Robert Gesink (The Netherlands/Rabobank), Denis Menchov (Russia/Katusha) and Chris Froome (Britain/Sky) all contenders. Canadian Giro d’Italia winner Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) is currently at 40-1 odds to win.