The Frenchman is the 14th rider to abandon this year's race, meaning 170 lined up at today's start in Pau. A classic and mouth-watering mountain stage in the Pyrenees awaits at the end of week two. Nearly 5,000m of elevation gain is packed into climbs up the mighty hors-categorie Tourmalet followed by the Col d'Aspin and Col de Peyresourde.