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Pantani pulls out Intestinal problems force Italian star to quit Tour
MORZINE, France (AP) -- Italian star Marco Pantani has pulled out of the Tour de France because of severe intestinal problems, his team Mercatone said Wednesday. The condition of the 1998 Tour de France champion became serious on the Col de Colombiere, the penultimate climb of Tuesday's 16th stage between Courchevel and Morzine. "He hadn't slept the night before and the descent down Colombiere was very painful for him," Mercatone's sporting director Guiseppe Martinelli said. "We don't know what caused the problem or when he will be back." Pantani made an early attack in the leg, the final mountain stage of the Tour. He led at the halfway point but dropped off the pace on the approach to the final climb. The Italian cyclist lost any chance of a podium place by finishing in 38th place, 13 minutes, 44 seconds behind stage winner Richard Virenque. That result meant that he fell from sixth to 14th in the standings, 20:46 behind leader Lance Armstrong of Austin, Texas. Pantani has barely raced at the top level this year following a doping scandal that saw him thrown out of the 1999 Giro d'Italia, but has the consolation of two stage wins in this year's event.
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