Wiggins and Hesjedal both out of Giro d'Italia

This article was originally published on Cyclingnews.com.

Like Ryder Hesjedal (see below), Bradley Wiggins has also abandoned the Giro d'Italia and will not start stage 13, Team Sky has confimed to Cyclingnews.

The Team Sky captain had been one of the top favourites to win the race, but a combination of crashes, bad weather and illness have forced him to throw in the towel.

Team Sky manager Dave Brailsford confirmed the news in a statement on the team's website.

“We monitored Bradley overnight and this morning we’ve withdrawn him from the Giro after consulting the team doctor. His chest infection has been getting worse and our primary concern is always the health of our riders," he said.

“Bradley will return to the UK today for treatment and to rest and we hope to have him back on the road as soon as possible. As a passionate racer he wanted to continue but he is simply unable to do so on medical grounds.”

Wiggins admitted on Wednesday that he was suffering from a respiratory infection and a cold. The cooler temperatures and heavy rainfall during Thursday's stage to Treviso proved too much for him. Wiggins dropped back on the final descent of the day, was unable to stay with the peloton on the flat and eventually crossed the finish line 3:17 behind winner Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step).

Team Sky will now look to Rigoberto Uran to lead the British squad at the Giro d'Italia. The Colombian is in third place overall, 2:04 down on Nibali.

Friday's thirteenth stage is a almost totally flat 254km ride across northern Italy from Busseto to Cherasco.

The Garmin-Sharp team has announced that Ryder Hesjedal will not start stage 13 of the Giro d'Italia after his physical condition worsened during the rain-soaked twelfth stage.

Hesjedal quits the Giro d'Italia

This article was originally published on Cyclingnews.com

The 2012 Giro d'Italia winner will now head home to try to fully understand and resolve the problems that have hampered him ever since last Saturday's time trial stage. He had slipped to 38th overall in the general classification, 32:55 behind race leader Vincenzo Nibali (Astana).

"It's heartbreaking," Hesjedal said in a statement from the team.

"I want to be here for my team and for all the people who have supported me to get me here to this point. I built my entire season around the Giro and I came here feeling great, but I have been suffering since the TT. We're working on it, but we're not sure what's wrong."

"There's a virus that's been going around, so it could be that, or severe allergies, or going too deep on the TT combined with both – whatever it is, I'm only getting worse. Yesterday's stage was just too much for me, I fought to get through it and I know everyone suffered but after seeing the medical staff last night, I also know that its time for me to go home, get some tests done and get healthy again."

"I have tried my best to honor the number one bib number, the race, my team and fans and it's devastating to leave this way. Going home now is heartbreaking. I'm very proud of the team – Ramunas' win proves that we all came here to race. These guys gave everything to help me. I couldn't ask for better teammates and I know that they'll continue to do great things here at the Giro for Garmin–Sharp. Now, I'll go home, focus on recovering and take things day by day, and I'll be cheering on the team from there."

Team physician, Shannon Sovndal explained: "The athlete's health is our priority. We've been trying to uncover what's going on with Ryder. He came into the race in stellar form, ready to defend his title, and clearly he's been suffering since the TT. His condition is not improving so we decided it's time for him to go home, get testing done, and focus on getting healthy again."

Directeur sportif Charly Wegelius, added: "Ryder is an incredible champion and a phenomenal athlete. It's difficult to see him struggle this way as he came here in outstanding form – he built his season around the Giro. He continued as long as he physically could because he wanted to honor the race and his team, but the health of our athletes is our priority and with that, we know its time for him to go home and focus on getting healthy again. The team here continues to be very motivated – we proved that on Stage 11 with Ramunas' win – and we will continue to fight for stage wins. There is plenty of racing still to be done and we know we will animate the rest of the race."

Friday's thirteenth stage is the longest in this year's Giro d'Italia at 254km and takes the riders across northern Italy from Busseto to Cherasco near Turin.

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