Roberto Heras has pulled out of the Tour de France according to the Spaniard's team boss.
"He won't start," Liberty Seguros chief Manolo Saiz said before the start of the 17th stage. "We haven't been able to get him back to full fitness".
"We've had to take a decision that isn't to our liking but we're professionals and life must go on."
Heras, who won the Tour of Spain in 2000 and 2003, helped Lance Armstrong to victory in the Tour de France in 2001, 2002 and 2003 before leaving to join Liberty Seguros.
He had been expected to be one of the main threats to Armstrong's domination this year but has failed to mount a serious challenge and was in 45th place, 57 minutes down on Armstrong, before his decision to pull out.
