By Stephen Farrand
BLOIS, France, July 5 - A decision on whether
injured former race leader David Zabriskie can continue in the
Tour de France will be made on Wednesday.
Zabriskie crashed in the final two kms of Tuesday's 67.5-km
team time trial and needed stitches in a cut to his right arm.
"He's not well and is completely devastated by what
happened," CSC team press officer Brian Nygaard said.
"The team doctor has applied stitches to a cut in his right
arm and the most important thing now is to see what is causing
him pain in right knee. He's also going to have X-rays on his
right elbow and wrist."
Zabriskie's team mate Jens Voigt said the American may also
have fractured some ribs.
"He's hurt because he crashed at 60 kph," Voigt said. "The
doctor carried out a short examination and he thinks he's got
some broken ribs.
"He needed some stitches in one of his wounds and lost a lot
of skin. He's really hurting."
Zabriskie had worn the yellow jersey since winning
Saturday's prologue but lost the race lead to six-times champion
Lance Armstrong, whose Discovery Channel team won the fourth
stage ahead of CSC.
The 26-year-old, who went into the stage two seconds ahead
of Armstrong, is now ninth, 1:26 down on his compatriot.
"I'm extremely disappointed because we were very, very close
to winning the stage and I was close to keeping the yellow
jersey," Zabriskie said.
"I'm in pain after the crash but if the X-rays don't show
any broken bones I'm going to start tomorrow."
Armstrong suggested the sheer physical effort needed to ride
stage could have played a part in Zabriskie's downfall.
"Team time trials are so hard that at the end of it you are
at your limit and everybody is cross-eyed," Armstrong said.
"There were a lot of turns in the final kilometres and it's
easy to make a mistake like that."