Earlier today the management team behind Team Omega Pharma-QuickStep announced that time trial world champion Tony Martin is abandoning the 2012 Tour de France and thus will not be present at the start 10th stage of the Tour de France tomorrow. The Tour exit comes after Martin was involved in a crash earlier in this year's Tour in which he fractured one of his hands.

According to a team spokesperson in agreement with the team sport management and the team medical staff, Martin will return to his home near Münsterlingen, Switzerland this afternoon.

"Tony's impressive performance in the last days, going through all the pain and still fighting to be able to compete in yesterday's individual time trial, shows what kind of character he has," Omega Pharma-QuickStep team doctor Helge Riepenhof commented.

"But from the medical point of view, it is now time to give the scaphoid fracture a chance to heal. We also have to avoid further issues to his body because of Martin being limited in his movement while riding his bike wearing a brace. This is the only possible decision which will allow for Martin to be able to perform at the London Olympics without damaging structures such as the lower back or knees," Riepenhof added.

"It's difficult for me to step out of the Tour and leave my teammates here to keep on fighting," Martin told Roadcycling.com.

"But it's the right thing to do now, and I know that the guys will understand. I will go home and I will try to recover as much as I can. I don't want things to get even worse going into the mountains. I cannot imagine sitting in the back of the peloton suffering every day a little bit more than I did during this week. I really tried. Together with the team I put a lot of energy to [stay in the Tour] until today, but now it's time to think about my complete recovery."

Commenting on his chances of success in the London Olympics later this summer, Martin told Roadcycling.com "I have still three weeks before the Olympics. I know that it won't be easy, but I will do all my best to be in good shape for the Olympics. I wish all the best to my teammates and I thank the whole team for the great and professional help they gave me over this difficult week."

In addition to the injury incurred from the crash in the Tour, Martin was injured in an accident earlier this year in which Martin hit a car with his bike and lost consciousness.

The whole team here at Roadcycling.com is wishing Tony Martin a speedy recovery.

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